James Dyer, 80, longtime clergyman, Atlanta native

The Rev. James Dyer preached at Southwest Christian Church in East Point for 37 years and had an uncanny ability to remember the name of just about everyone who passed through the church’s doors.

“He had a phenomenal memory,” said his daughter, Peggy McNash of Smyrna. “People would tell stories of visiting the church once, and they’d come back years later, and Dad would remember their names.”

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In addition to his church duties, the Rev. James Dyer coached softball and baseball and was an Atlanta Braves fan.

Rev. Dyer was one of those rare native Atlantans. He was born in his family’s house in southeast Atlanta and spent most of his life close to home. He went to Boys High School in Atlanta and graduated from Cincinnati Bible Seminary before becoming minister for eight years of a church in Anniston, Ala.

He married another Georgia native and returned to Atlanta in 1956 to become the first full-time minister of Southwest Christian Church.

Rev. Dyer, 80, died Wednesday of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the hospice of Southwest Christian Care in Union City. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Southwest Christian Church. Parrott Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Growing up, Rev. Dyer was a good sandlot baseball player and could hit a ball so well that talent scouts came to watch him play, his daughter said. He was tall and graceful but, unfortunately, couldn’t run very fast.

“He was as slow as molasses,” Mrs. McNash said.

As an adult, Rev. Dyer channeled his interest in baseball into coaching softball and was known as “Friar Dyer” or “Brother Jim” by young players and their parents. He also was a big fan of the Atlanta Braves and enjoyed reading Civil War and World War II histories and playing bridge.

At the church, Rev. Dyer was instrumental in establishing the Southwest Christian Care hospice as well as Christian City in Union City, which provides residential, health and social services to abused and abandoned children, as well as the elderly and ill.

At his church, Rev. Dyernot only was “Preacher Jim” but taught Sunday school classes and led recovery groups. He also would clean and fix things that were broken, his daughter said.

“He was very humble. Whatever needed doing, he’d do,” she said.

Other survivors are his wife, Wilma Dyer of Union City; daughters Kathy Every of Macau, China, and Paula Crawford of Peachtree City; a brother, Gene Dyer of Peachtree City; and six grandchildren.