James "Jim" Douglas Harth

James D. Harth passed away peacefully December 25, 2020 at age 85 at his home in Salem surrounded by his family.

He was known to friends and family as Jimmy, and Jim for short.  He was born in November 1935 to Clayborn and Katie Harth.  He spent his early years in Pearisburg before the family moved back to Roanoke, where he eventually met Martha, his loving wife of 63 years. 

Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents Clayborn and Katie, brother Lawrence, and eldest son Danny.  He leaves behind his wife Martha; son and daughter-in-law Kevin and Gwenn; sister Patricia; grandchildren Briana, Nichole and Zach; great-grandchildren Taylor, Noah, Abbi, Kamryn, Emily and Christopher.     

As a young man, Jimmy was employed for a number of years as a butcher for Frigid Freeze Foods.  In the 1960's, father-in-law George Murrell opened Murrell’s Finer Foods in Salem.  Jimmy worked there until the store closed in 1977.  Upon hearing of the store’s closing, Jimmy’s friends at Frigid Freeze welcomed him back to the company. 

He always had an interest in mechanic work.  As Frigid Freeze continued to grow, he transitioned from meat department butcher to the company’s first full-time truck maintenance technician.  His son Kevin worked with him through high school, and his son Danny worked with him through a couple company mergers until his retirement in 2000.

Jimmy was adored by his lifelong friends, neighbors, co-workers, and extended family as somebody who, with very few words, would step in to help them in their time of need.

A memorial service will be held at the Lotz Funeral Home Chapel in Salem on Tuesday December 29th at 11:00am.  The family will receive friends and family beginning at 10:00am before the memorial service.  

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