James Barry "Jim" Baggott, Sr.

North Augusta, SC............Mr. James Barry “Jim” Baggott, Sr., 75, entered into rest on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at Doctors Hospital.

His funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at Fairview Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. G. Daniel McCall and Rev. Masaki Chiba officiating. Interment will be private.

Jim was born on April 26, 1943, in Aiken, SC to proud parents Vera and Oliver Baggott and big brother Gene. He grew up in Augusta, GA and later moved to North Augusta, SC when he married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Carolyn Capers, on November 14, 1963.

In 1967, Jim and Carolyn welcomed their first son, James Barry Baggott, Jr to their family and in 1969 added their youngest son Scott to round out their family.  Jim took great pride in raising his sons into strong, capable Christian men.

Jim was proud to add daughters to his family when Barry was married to Tina and then when Scott married Jeanna.  The only thing Jim was prouder of than his sons and daughters, were his five grandchildren, Ross, Tyler, Paige, Cole and Payton.  Jim loved being a grandparent and took every opportunity to instill in them the importance of God, home, family and tradition.

Not only was Jim a great husband, but he was also a great provider for his family.  He took pride in his work and he had a knack for sales.  For the past 23 years, he worked as a specialty advertising sales executive for Brown & Bigelow Specialty Advertising.  He was a member of the President’s Club and a member of the Century Club for 19 years.  Most recently, Jim was inducted into the Brown and Bigelow Hall of Fame in recognition of his 20+ years of excellence in sales and service.

Jim was committed to service in his community.  He believed that every person could make a difference and instead of just talking about what needed to change, Jim was determined to do something about it.  He joined the North Augusta Jaycees at 21 years old and ultimately served in every office of that organization including President.  He was the most decorated Jaycee in the history of the North Augusta chapter and was awarded Jaycee of the Year twice.  He was also a Master Mason as well as a member of the Beech Island Agricultural Club.

Jim was perfectly imperfect.  He was a proud member and supporter of the North Augusta chapter of AA for the last 24 years where he served as a mentor and advocate to countless young people who struggled with addiction.  He believed that by sharing his story and experience, he could make their journeys just a little bit easier.

Jim loved local politics and the political process.  In 1992, he was elected to the Aiken County Council and served 2 terms.  During this time, he lobbied for and cast the deciding vote to obtain funding for the widening of Knox Avenue, which was the catalyst for the commercial development along Knox Avenue that continues to benefit our city today.  Jim also served on the Planning and Zoning Commissions for North Augusta and Aiken County for more than 20 combined years along with a more recent appointment to the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Jim was a staunch supporter of Law Enforcement and First Responders.  With an appointment by the governor, he served for 21 years as a State Constable, retiring in 2013 after riding on patrol with North Augusta’s finest for more than 500 service hours.  He also volunteered with the Columbia, SC SLED office on occasion. 

Jim loved history and believed that you should never stop learning from the past.  He was one of the original members of the Olde Towne Preservation Association and helped with the clearing of the area that would later become the Living History Park.  Jim and Carolyn participated as re-enactors for more than 20 years during the annual Colonial Days encampment each fall.

Jim loved Christmas and serving as North Augusta’s official Santa for 46 years was one of the highlights of his life.  He attended every city tree lighting and Christmas parade without fail and lived for the chance to don that red suit and bring smiles to the faces of the families of North Augusta.

Jim loved his God and his church family.  He especially loved to sing.  At Fairview Presbyterian Church, he served as a choir member, deacon, and elder.  He also participated with the choir at Sweetwater Baptist Church because with his big love for singing, it just couldn’t be contained by one church choir.

Jim loved to tell stories and always had a couple of jokes up his sleeve.  He lived to make people laugh.  He was known for his crazy hat collection and you never knew which hat he might whip out to get a good laugh.  He had a loud, irreverent sense of humor which only served to highlight his big heart.  He believed that you were never too old to have a good time.

Jim was a bright light to everyone who knew him, and this world will certainly be a little bit dimmer with his passing.   While Jim bravely fought a long, hard battle with Cancer, we can be assured that he is smiling down on all of us today as he reunites with his parents and big brother Gene and catches them up on what’s been going on lately in North Augusta politics.  This world is a better place because he was in it and his impact on our family, our friends, and our community will continue to be felt for many years to come.

The family will receive friends at Rowland-Ford Funeral Home on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

Memorials may be made to the North Augusta Public Safety Christmas Classic, 444 E. Buena Vista Ave. North Augusta, SC 29841.

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