James Ponder

James E. (Jim) Ponder, 88, of Silverhill, Alabama, passed away peacefully in his sleep and awoke in the presence of the Lord on April 2, 2026. Born July 22, 1937 to Ed and Gladys Ponder of Talledega, AL, he married his sweetheart Betty Haynes of Ashland, AL on December 16, 1955. James, fondly known as Jim, lived his life to the fullest. An entrepreneur with an adventurous spirit, he and Betty created a business, The Plunderosa, that allowed them to travel the world in search of antiques and treasures. Jim was also a man of many talents. Besides his family and his faith, his greatest love was to fish. Much of his early retirement was spent on Fish River with his self-proclaimed "River Rats," or with a boat full of his children and grandchildren. At age 65, Jim discovered that he had a talent for oil painting. Self-taught, he spent many hours in his basement studio creating beautiful paintings that grace the walls of his family's homes. He also loved music. He taught himself to play guitar, and he enjoyed traveling to music festivals or the local bluegrass jam sessions with his sons. Jim had a mischievous streak a mile wide. When his grandchildren (and eventually great-grandchildren) were around, he would get a twinkle in his eye and round them up to play a game, sing a song, or tell a story. He loved to make them laugh, and he was happiest when opening a watermelon or a gallon of ice cream to share. Jim's family came first in everything he did. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ed & Gladys; his sister, Jackie; and his stillborn son, John Paul. He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Betty, and his five children: Mindy (Jim) Harmon, Mark, Duncan (Christine), Luke, and Matthew. He also leaves behind a legacy in his 3 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren: Jimmy (Carrie) Harmon - Ethan (Ally) Merchant, Haley Merchant, Elijah, Gracie, Jameson, & Sarah; Megan (David) Wilson - Riley (Lawson) Koehn, Roxanne, Reese, Pete, Ruthie, & Rebekah; and Jennifer (Josh) Pepper - John Clayton & Josephine. Funeral service will be held at Silverhill First Baptist Church Saturday April 11th Visitation 10:00 AM Service 11:00 AM Arrangements are entrusted to Cason Funeral Service in Foley Al

James Ponder

April 2, 2026

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James Ponder

April 2, 2026

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

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