Jewell, James
JEWELL, James "Jimmy" E.
James Edward Jewell "Jimmy", 59, of Atlanta, GA, passed away Saturday, January 29, 2022. Jimmy was born in Syracuse, NY on September 16, 1962 to Charles Francis "Frank" Jewell and Ruby Lee Harris Jewell. The family moved to the Daytona Beach, FL area in 1964 where Jimmy spent his childhood and youth. After graduating from Mainland High School in 1980, Jimmy attended Berry College in Rome, GA, where he studied history and excelled as a varsity soccer player. At Berry College, Jimmy gathered the nickname, Chewy, due to his vibrant, passionate approach to sports along with his prominent red hair and beard. Jimmy excelled in soccer, track, and cross country in high school. Throughout his life, soccer, basketball, and running remained key aspects of his identity competing on soccer teams and running several marathons. Following graduation from Berry, Jimmy began his lifelong career as an educator and athletic coach at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, FL, Deltona High School in Deltona, FL, the Atlanta public school system, and at The Lovett School in Atlanta, GA. Highlights of his teaching and coaching careers abound. At Lovett, he coached his soccer and cross-country teams to multiple state championships. Jimmy also found great joy working with his students in the Junior Outdoor Expedition and Urban Experience Programs. As part of his great passion for education, Jimmy also committed himself to studying and sharing an understanding of the West African experience with America, earning a grant to complete the "Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad," which included summer studies at Yale University, travel and a home stay with a Ghanaian family. The goal of this program was to improve his ability to teach about Africa including Ghanaian history, culture, and society. He was an ardent fan of Atlanta United soccer and Atlanta Braves baseball. He was a man who could be larger than life but also the closest friend you could ever have!
Jimmy is survived by his loving family, many close friends, and importantly thousands of students, athletes, and their families, from Mainland High School, Deltona High School, and The Lovett School. His family survivors include his sister, Teresa Jewell of Ormond Beach, FL; three brothers, Chuck (Denise) of Columbia, MD; Michael (Jan) of Louisville, KY; David of Tampa, FL; and six nieces and nephews, Sarah, Laura, Carl, Max, Ryan and Haley. The family respectfully asks that memorial contributions be made to Berry College, P.O. Box 490069, Mount Berry, GA 30149 or online at www.berry.edu/gift. Please designate your gift to the Save A Student Scholarship and note that your gift is in memory of Jimmy Jewell, Class of 1985. The family plans to hold a memorial and remembrance event in the coming weeks in Atlanta, GA. Once a date has been finalized, time and location will be posted in the comments on Jimmy's online obituary. Those wishing to share condolences or memories of Jimmy may do so via his online obituary on Legacy.com at https://www.legacy.com/.
