Jim McGown, Man of Peace, Longtime Athenian, Patch Columnist, Dies in Athens, Ga.

James Hewett McGown, a native of Long Island, New York, came to Athens with the Navy Supply Corps School, married a local girl, and never left. He and his wife Jane Foster McGown reared their two sons Todd and Evan, and welcomed Todd's wife and daughter into the family.

Jim died Thursday afternoon in Athens, apparently of a heart attack. He was transported to Athens Regional, but attempts there to revive him were not successful. All those who knew him are heartbroken at the loss of this otherworldly creature who saw the good in everyone, even when they themselves couldn't see it. And who spent his life spreading joy and peace.

Reared as a Catholic, Jim wanted to join the priesthood. As a young boy, he went to live with an order and remained there until it was time for the final steps that would make him a priest. He liked to tell people that he suddenly realized he had no idea what the will of God was. At all. He had been so sure for most of his life that this moment of doubt shook him deeply enough for him to change his life's path. He left the Catholic church.

Jim and Jane settled at First Presbyterian in Athens. He was an active church member. If you heard Jim sing, you wouldn't forget the sound of his beautiful Irish tenor. He loved to sing and to have others sing with him. Though a Presbyterian, Jim became a mentor in the Episcopal Church's Education for Ministry Program. He was my mentor: once a week for four years, a group of searchers read, talked about what we had read, learned about each other, helped and loved each other. For light reading, Jim enjoyed learning about religious movements in the United States, perusing the sermons of Jonathan Edwards, or glancing through the history of the Congregational Church in Connecticut. He had ecletic taste and much patience.

Jim ran for mayor in 1990, as an independent, but didn't win. The last 10 years or so, he had become very involved in speaking out for the Palestinian people. He attended protests, wrote letters and columns, visited the Middle East and tried to turn the big ship of the Presbyterian Church away from investing in any company or product he considered detrimental to the cause of Palestinian statehood. He talked, prayed and listened, constantly.

I can't imagine life for his family and friends without him. The world just became a little darker for me, with less joy, without Jim McGown in it.

Here are some of Jim's Athens Patch Columns. If you search for "Jim McGown" in the search bar, you can read them all. Taken together, they present a small picture of who and how Jim was.

Advocates Hold Palestinian Film Festival

Getting a Master's Degree

Students Support Undocumented Residents

Is it Better to be Blessed or Happy?