James Edward Major

James Edward "Jim" Major died August 13, 2017. Born on June 14, 1916, in Conway, Arkansas, to John Victor Major and Mary Susan Delilah Patchel, Jim had a distinguished career as an Elder in the Little Rock Conference of the United Methodist Church and Director of Development and Vice President of Hendrix College. Jim received his B.A. from Hendrix College in 1940 and his Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 1943. He served as Pastor of the Tiller-Winchester Charge from 1943-1945 and Hunter Memorial Church in Little Rock from 1945-1947. In 1947 Jim was commissioned a Missionary of the Methodist Church. He and his wife Lillie went to Santiago, Chile, where he served as Pastor of the Second Methodist Church (a Spanish-speaking church) and Director of the Sweet Memorial Institute in Santiago until 1952. Jim continued his graduate studies in 1952-1953 at Garrett Biblical Seminary in Evanston Illinois. Returning to Arkansas in 1953, he served as Pastor of the Methodist Church in Heber Springs and then as Executive Director of the Town and Country Commission of the Little Rock Conference. In 1961, Jim became the first Director of Development at Hendrix College. During his twenty years at Hendrix, he took great pride in founding the Alumni Loyalty Fund, the Half-Century Club, the Distinguished Alumni Award, the President's Club, the Parent Fund, and the Hendrix Endowment Society. Jim thoroughly enjoyed his work in Development, and stated, "The Lord wants us to be generous, and I am just helping people to be generous." Hendrix established the Jim Major Service Award upon his retirement in 1981 to honor individuals who have provided outstanding service to Hendrix. While working at Hendrix, Jim also edited and published the Journals for the Little Rock annual Conference from 1960 to 1979. After his retirement from Hendrix, Jim served as Associate Pastor at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock from 1981-1985 and at Trinity United Methodist Church from 1985-1988. In retirement, Jim pursued his many hobbies including tennis, walking, crossword puzzles, Biblical and theological studies, and following professional baseball. He taught Sunday School at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock and assisted a number of nonprofit organizations with development and fundraising including Subiaco Academy. He and Lillie traveled to Spain, Italy, Greece, England, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Jim also studied Spanish at UALR, taking every Spanish literature course offered by the college. Jim is survived by his wife, Lillie Raney Major, whom he met at a Youth group event at First Methodist Church in Little Rock. They were married there in 1942. He is also survived by his daughter, Susan Major Holton and her husband, Len of Little Rock, his son, Thomas R. Major and his wife, Carla of Little Rock, and his son, James V. Major and his wife, Tamara of Medford, Mass.; as well as grandchildren, Mike Major and his wife, Nikki, Lauren Averill and her husband, Chris, Alexis Major Jameson and her husband, Neil, Wesley Major, and six great-grandchildren. A service celebrating Jim's life will be held at First United Methodist Church in Little Rock on Wednesday, August 16 at 1:30 p.m. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to First United Methodist Church, 723 Center Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72201. Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., (501) 224-2200. Jim's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.