James Samuel "Jim" Jenkins, Jr., of Athens, died Wednesday, December 11, 2019 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born October 29, 1948, to the late Delores and James S. Jenkins, Sr., in O'Fallon, IL.

As an Air Force brat, he lived all over the United States and the Pacific. Jim enlisted in the Army in 1966 and served in Vietnam from November 1967 to October 1968. He finished up his tour of duty at Fort Benning in Columbus, GA. Buddies there introduced him to Athens and once there he never wanted to move again. He received a B.S. in Educational Psychology, a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and did course work toward a Doctorate in Counseling at the University of Georgia.

Jim spent his career first working with people with developmental disabilities then he focused on crisis counseling – working in area ERs doing assessments as part of his private practice – and consulting with the Red Cross, law enforcement and crisis response teams. He also worked with veterans of the Vietnam War and the conflicts in the Mideast. He was adjunct faculty at Mercer University in Atlanta with the Penfield College of Professional Counseling.

Jim was a beloved son, husband, brother, father, and in the last two years of his life he was "Papa" to his adored grandson, Ian.

In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by a brother, William Rodger Jenkins, and a brother-in-law, Kenneth Warren Harmon. He is survived by his wife of almost 45 years, Allyn Roland Jenkins; a daughter Cecilia Jenkins Lozada, her husband, Ronald Manuel Lozada, and their son, Ian Felipe Lozada of Athens; a son, Steven Kelly Jenkins and his wife, Claire Nicolato Jenkins, of Summerville, SC. He is also survived by sisters, Patricia Jenkins Chagnon of Athens, Christine Jenkins Harmon of Commerce, GA, and Colleen Jenkins Florence of Easley, SC; sisters and brothers-in-law Nancy and Sam Grizzle of Hartwell and Mary and Fred Welker of Fort Lauderdale, FL. Numerous nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews also survive.

Service will be at Chapelwood UMC on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Athens or to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (www.vvmf.org).

The Strickland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hartwell is in charge of all arrangements.