James Raymond Sills, Sr. was born in Simpson County, Mississippi to Luella Hoover Sills and James Kennedy (Connie) Sills. He attended Central High School in Jackson, MS, Mississippi College in Clinton, MS and Draughns Jr. College in Jackson, MS.

He was retired from the L.E. Myers Company as Business Manager. He worked in several locations including Jackson, MS, Longview, TX and Fitzgerald, GA. After leaving the L.E. Myers Company, he came back to Mississippi and owned and operated Artistic Flowers and A Classy Place in Jackson, MS. The last fourteen years of his working career he sold major appliances for Sears, where he received many sales awards and was top sales and a member of The Million Dollar Club for many years. He also held a Mississippi Real Estate License and enjoyed working with Randall Saxton Real Estate Inc.

He enjoyed ballroom dancing as well as owning and showing Tennessee Walking Horses with his son James Jr. and grandson Peyton. He was a member of The American Legion, Post 112 and The Mississippi Walking Horse Association, where he was in charge of The Floral Horse Shoes and The Center Ring. He also served as Secretary of The Show. His passion was his life group at Broadmoor Baptist Church, where he served as president of the Happy Hearts Class. His passion was singing, being a choir member for several years and music leader for several churches, including Clinton Boulevard Baptist in Jackson, Eastside Baptist in Pearl, Springhill Baptist in Longview, TX and Arbor Baptist in Fitzgerald, GA.

Preceding him in death were his parents Luella and James Kennedy Sills and a sister Cynthia Diane Sills, his wife of 47 years, Nan Pettit Sills, and great grandson Hank Coker Sills.

James is survived by his daughter, Mechelle Sills Lowther (Barry); two sons, Jeffrey Duane Sills (Dawn) and James Sills, Jr. (Jennifer).

The light of his life were his grandchildren, James Peyton Sills and Kaitlyn Olivia Sills, Brighton Sills Lowther and Kennedy Alexandria Lowther, Matthew Duane Sills (Emily Coker Sills) and Malarie Dawn Jones (Marcus Jones) and great grandsons, Hunter James Sills, Hayes Coker Sills, Hudson Davis Sills, and Dalton Jones.

A visitation and funeral service was held on Friday, June 24, 2022 at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland, MS.