James Marion "Jack" Ingram

James Marion “Jack” Ingram, 95 died Sunday, February 28, 2016 at his home. Mr. Ingram was born August 12, 1920, a son of Sanders Thomas Ingram and Ida Mae Jolly Ingram. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1943 to 1946. After the war, Mr. Ingram worked for Colonial Stores Inc. Then in 1960, he began a career which would define his life when he was appointed the Richmond County Veterans Service Officer. He became devoted to the needs of veterans and was active in veterans organizations in the county, district, state and nation. Mr. Ingram was a Notary Public in North Carolina from 1960 to 1997. He received a Presidential appointment in 1969 through the Selective Service System to serve as a member of local Selective Service Board No. 78 in Richmond County. He retired in 1977 and was honored by county veterans organizations for his service then and after with Jack Ingram Appreciation Day September 14, 1996, for his “unselfish goal to promotion of patriotism and a life devoted to helping others.” He was also honored for the “time, money and other resources” he donated to dozens of local civic and charitable causes. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Ellerbe. Mr. Ingram was N.C. Department of Disabled Veterans Commander from 1964 to 1965. A life member of DAV Chapter 59 in Ellerbe which he organized in 1963, he held many posts there with American Legion Post 73 where he was a lifetime member. He traveled widely across the United States on behalf of veterans’ causes. He was also a life member of Forty & Eight, Richmond County; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11340, Ellerbe; and Trench Rats, DAV Chapter 59. In 1986, Ingram became involved in a “second career” when he began serious research into his family history which led to being engaged in family genealogy for numerous residents of the county. He was instrumental in founding the Sandhill Genealogy Society in 2001 which eventually led to merging the work with the Richmond County Historical Society of which he was a lifetime member. His extensive work is the basis for that society’s Genealogy Committee to which it was donated for preservation. The Jack Ingram Library has been established at the Leak-Wall House in his honor for his contributions to genealogy in Richmond County. In 1987, he and the late Woodford Sherrill as the main researchers began the Richmond County Cemetery Survey for the society. That work is continuing today even though a large volume has been produced including names of over 28,000 people and 300 cemeteries which have been identified and recorded. Mr. Ingram is survived by his wife of 77 years, Arlene Virginia Parsons Ingram; a son, James Stephen “Steve” Ingram; a daughter, Jeanette Marion Ingram Martin; 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Reginald Thomas Ingram and grandson Eddie Warren. Visitation for Mr. Ingram will be held from 2pm -3pm on Thursday, at Carter Funeral Home, Ellerbe. Funeral services will be held 3pm, Thursday, at Carter Funeral Home with Rev. Elizabeth Polk officiating. Burial will follow at the Ellerbe Cemetery, Millstone Road, Ellerbe. Memorials may be made to; Ellerbe Methodist Church P.O. Box 340 Ellerbe, NC 28338 or to Ellerbe Rescue P.O. Box 148, Ellerbe, NC 28338.