James "Jimmy" Richard McGriff Sr., 97, of Panama City, FL passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. He was born on July 28, 1923 in Columbia, AL, where he grew up and worked in the local theater as a projectionist at age 13 and had to stand on a box to see out of the projection portals. He graduated from Houston County High School in 1941 where he played on the football team. After graduation, he trained as a welder and went to work at the Wainwright Shipyard here in Panama City, where he worked on the first ship built there in 1942. Then Uncle Sam came calling for WWII and he served in the Army Signal Corps attached to the 5th Air Force where they sought out radar sights for the Navy in the South Pacific. During which time, he participated in 3 island invasions. After his service, he attended the University of Alabama, where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in Business in 1949. Upon graduation he went to work for Martin-Davis Theatres which became Martin Theatres and finally Carmike Cinemas. He worked at the Ritz Theatre, now the Martin where he met his wife, Irene. He began work in 1954 as manager of the Isle Of View Drive-In Theatre, where his wife cashiered in the concession stand. They worked together there for over 30 years when he became Regional Manager over all of the theatres in the area. He retired in 1988. After retiring, he began making deliveries for Hallmark Flowers and Coopers Drugs. He was preceded in death by his wife, Irene Rushing McGriff; his parents, Samuel Arvin and Frances Glovenia McGriff; six brothers, Clifford, Lan, Charlie, Corbin, Raymond, and Sam; four sisters, Annie May, Gladys, Frances, and Virginia. He is survived by two sons, James Richard "Ricky" McGriff, Jr, and Timothy Wayne McGriff (Valine), and two brothers-in-law Jerry Rushing (Diane) and Lynn Rushing (Vickie), and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 2pm in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1-2pm prior to the service. Interment will follow the service at Evergreen Memorial Gardens.