Jimmy Saffold
On December 16, our church and community was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic and unexpected death of Mr. Jimmy Saffold. Jimmy was a man of faith and family: he loved God and he loved his family. Jimmy didn’t stop there. He loved his faith-family – the people of Fruit Cove Baptist Church – as well. From driving the golf cart, to VBS preschool recreation, to RA’s and GA’s, Sunday School, Deacons and James Gang, Jimmy Saffold’s life served people of all generations.
Tonight and tomorrow, we’ll join his family in celebrating his life. There are so many stories of how Jimmy served others. We have created this post as a place for you to add you comments. How did Jimmy encourage you? How did he impact your life? Please use the comments below to reflect on his life of service and know that the family will find comfort in your words.
Beth Hemmer
I loved Mr. Jimmy! We all loved Mr. Jimmy! Such a sweet, thoughtful, and giving man! We have worked several years together in preschool recreation for Bible School, car washes for RAs, etc. We had so much fun working together in Bible school. I will never forget those times of cutting up with him and helping the kids.
My favorite memory of Mr. Jimmy will be how he would always speed over to us on HIS golf cart on Sundays and offer us a ride, but he would always say, ” I know my runner girl will not take a ride, but I have to come ask her anyway.” He knew I was a runner, so he would always ask me every Sunday how much I had ran for the week and tell me to keep up the good work. Always a highlight for my family to see him every Sunday.
I can’t imagine the grief his family is feeling….my prayers are with you!
Love You~Beth Hemmer
Jennifer Verkon
I needed a light hung in my bathroom. I had no idea how to do it so I asked Mr Jimmy. He came over to my house and he and I fought with the light for hours.i held the light while he tried to install it. When I wanted to give up he wouldn’t. We made it happen and to this day I think of him when I look at the light. I will miss him, his encouraging words, and his smiling face
Sheli Bagnardi
I love Mr. Jimmy. He is my dear friend. We served for 10 years together teaching, directing, sometimes just trying to entertain our RA boys. We laughed, were frustrated, sometimes felt like crying, joked (most of the time) and talked together. We built more bird houses than I can remember, planned RA campouts, fishing events, and missions. He always had a compassionate word of advice and was always interested in my life and family. There wasn’t a time he saw my boys that he didn’t ask them what was happening in their lives. He was fellow deacon with my husband, Jim. We were so very honored and blessed to have known this wonderful man! If there is anything that could be said about Mr. Jimmy it is that the man was an “energizer bunny” with the biggest, most compassionate heart! Sunday mornings will not be the same and I will miss joking and hearing his uplifting words. Until we meet again my dear sweet friend…….
Debbie Wooten
My granddaughter Alexa loved Mr. Jimmy. She loved riding with him in the front seat of the church golf cart. He knew root beer was her favorite lollipop and encouraged her to dig for them in the bucket. She told me, “I want to marry Mr. Jimmy.” I have always prayed the Lord would send Christians into Alexa’s life – – Jimmy Saffold was one of those. He made Fruit Cove a special place for her. Already on Sunday, she asked for Mr. Jimmy. I said he’s in heaven and probably driving a golden cart around up there. Thank you Lord for touching our lives with his. He was so loved.
Beth Phillips
Mr. Jimmy was the hands and feet Jesus! He was such a blessing to Fruit Cove and to all who knew him. He was a great mentor to my grandson. He always had a smile on his face even when you joked with him about Alabama (his team). He will be missed. Thanking God that we will all get to see him again one day in Heaven.
Laura O'Connor
Where to begin? So So Many wonderful things to say about Mr.Jimmy. What an incredible Godly man! He has left such a beautiful legacy. Everywhere you turned at Fruit Cove he was there serving. The impact he had on the many many children on those Sunday morning Golf Cart rides will always be cherished by many I know. I love that he handed out those “Dum-Dum Pops” as I will always remember the incredible person he was many many years from now everytime I see one of those. Thank you Mr.Jimmy for blessing our lives and showing our community what a Godly man looks like!
Rachel Farris
It’s hard to know where to begin to write about Mr. Jimmy, although one thing is easy. Jimmy was first of all a Godly man. I see him all over the campus of our church. He greeted people in the parking lot and had a special word for everyone. I know there are parents who get their children out of the house on Sunday mornings by reminding them that they could go see Mr. Jimmy, ride his cart, and get a lollipop. He remembered details about our lives and always wanted to know how we were doing. Jimmy was a coach, referee, and a scorekeeper for Upward basketball. He was an RA leader who believed in raising up our young boys to become Godly men. He was a deacon servant leader who believed in taking care of the widowed and all who need help. He was funny and caring and had definite opinions of right and wrong. Jimmy never said no if there was a need. It has been a joy to serve in ministry with Jimmy. Jimmy was incredibly loved and will be greatly missed, but I am thankful that we serve a God who has made a place for us to have a wonderful reunion one day. I look forward to that.
Peggy McCullough
I had only been attending FCBC a short time when I met Jimmy up-close; we were at a Christmas Eve service and my 4 year old nephew was Up and down, back and forth in the pew. We were on the verge of getting up to leave when Jimmy appeared, sliding in to the seat next to Derrick, and offering the dum dum. Derrick was so happy to have some male attention from Jimmy and Jimmy’s presence was calming for Derrick. That’s just the kind of man Jimmy was; being the right influence in a young child’s life. Jimmy will truly be missed by the children……..
Liz Brabston
My very first memory of Mr. Jimmy was when my father passed away. He use to help my mom with anything she needed at the house. Fast forward years later and my family and I were attending Fruit Cove. We rode on the cart many times with him and our daughter loved either sitting in his lap helping him drive or sitting right next to him. Of course, Hailey also loved getting lollipops. Even if we said “no,” he would give her two. 😉 we use to tell him he was gonna have to pay for her dental bills. This past summer we learned that we lived 4 doors down from him and Mrs. Nancy. We were talking at VBS about working on yards and he gave my husband 4 bags of mulch and wouldn’t take anything in return. When we heard the news last Tuesday, a college friend of mine reminded me that while her hubby was gone on deployment Mr Jimmy tried so hard to mow her grass. I’ve never met a more giving man then Mr. Jimmy. We are at a loss without him, but I am sure he is loving heaven, and look forward to seeing him there one day. Praying for his wife and family.