On Sunday morning, May 9, 1999, I received a telephone call from Hugh Allen Carter, a classmate in the Class of 1961 at Milan High School, informing me that our Class President, Jim Dyer, had died at approximately 11:30 the night before.  This was followed immediately by a call from Jim’s son, David, who shared the same sad news.
     This kind of news is always shocking.  Once again those of us in the Class of ‘61 found ourselves having to deal with the loss of another member of our class.
     Jim was not only the president of our class, but he was a dear friend to the people who knew him.  He was a genuine person who felt no need for the artificial trappings which many insecure persons feel driven to make part of their lives.
     Across the years I have served as the Class Correspondent and Historian for our class, sending out an occasional class newsletter to keep class members informed of the significant things which are happening in all of our lives.  Jim was often in touch with me, discussing the people in our class and the things which happening to them.  He always sent a special note which was incorporated into these mailings.
     I was deeply honored when Jim’s family asked me to speak at his memorial service which was conducted at Northside Baptist Church on Thursday, May 13, 1999.
     As I was looking back through our high school annual for our senior year, I noticed something quite shocking.  On the page which featured photographs of the junior and senior banquet, there were photographs of Gerald Wood, president of the junior class, and Jim Dyer, president of the senior class, offering remarks to the group.  I suddenly realized that both Gerald and Jim are now deceased.
     Jim is preceeded in death by eight other class members in the MHS Class of 1961: Shelby Hicks, Jeannine McNabb, Donald Fisher, Terry Myracle, Doris Smith Gumm, Jimmy Talbot, Gerald Tolley, Dell Vester, and Rex McAvoy.
     For many years Jim and his family had made their home in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  Jim leaves his wife Mona, five children, and seven grandchildren.  At Milan he leaves his mother, Freddie Dyer and two brothers, Dickie and Dusty.  He was a standout scholar and athlete.  He was also Senior Class President at the University of Tennessee, where he graduated in 1965.  He had been very successful in the food brokerage business.  The name of his business is Placo Foods.
     The Jimmy D. Dyer Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established at Mcllroy Bank and Trust in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
 Goodbye, Jim.  We’ll all miss you.