Jim Raines

January 31, 1948 – August 6, 2020

When James (Jim) Raines was born in Memphis on January 31, 1948, God smiled and said to his angels: "There will never be another like him…never!" When Jim joined the angels on August 6 after a long battle with cancer, God said: "Welcome to Heaven, Jim. I hope you brought your camera!"

Jim's visitation service is scheduled for Friday, August 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery-Midtown, 1661 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis. A memorial service at the same location will be at 10 a.m. the next day (Saturday), with military honors at the graveside immediately afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to amvets.org , streetdogfoundation.com , or to the donor's favorite charity in Jim's memory.

The beloved son of the late James Madison and Mary Lucille Raines of Memphis; Jim was the cherished father of Debbie Wallace, of Memphis; David (Amber) Raines, of Fayetteville, AR; and Erin (Ben) Sutton, of Germantown, TN. Jim also was the much-loved brother of Pam (David) Davidson and Walter (Paula) Raines of Memphis. He was adored by his seven grandchildren, Morgan, Jack, and Rainey Wallace, of Memphis; Skylar Raines of Fayetteville, AR; and Parker, Ramer, and Lilli Greer Sutton, of Germantown. Jim also was a dear uncle and a cousin to many.

In addition to Jim's devotion to his family, he was an extremely talented videographer, who provided compelling videography over many years for all of the major networks. He also was a corporate videographer. As an eminent photographer, Jim earned respect and admiration for his iconic images. Beyond his craft, Jim was witty, and fun-loving – and everything that made him the person who is so dearly missed today.

But first and foremost – Jim loved his family with every fiber of his being. His children and grandchildren meant the world to him, and he was so proud of every one of them. Jim would drop everything to pick up the grandkids, or be there for a graduation, school program, or Grandpa's Day at school. Some grandkids called him "Poppy Jim" and some called him "Pop." and he loved those names! Poppy Jim/Pop always brought his video or still camera with him and recorded what will now be family keepsakes, memories of the wonderful times they all shared.

Jim grew up in Memphis, graduated from Treadwell High School, enlisted in the Air Force, and served in Vietnam as a dog handler. When he returned to Memphis, Jim went to work for WHBQ-TV. That's where he got the nickname Grumpy, and you just knew when he gave you "that look," he meant business. Jim was the chief videographer and a born leader. He was fair, straightforward, and never expected anything of someone that he didn't expect of himself.

After Jim left WHBQ-TV, he worked as a freelance videographer for all of the major network news broadcasts and programs, as well as Fortune 500 companies. His assignments took him all over the United States and to many other countries.

Everyone who worked with Jim was impressed by his incredible talent. He was an award-winning videographer who loved what he did for a living. From presidents of the United States to presidents of corporations, from the famous to the infamous, from the people who make our world a better place to live – to those whose actions are chronicled in the back pages of history – Jim shot their interviews and told their stories with amazing video. He was an extraordinary videographer and a master at making his interview subjects feel comfortable. On one occasion, it was the Dalai Lama. On a different occasion, while listening to the wisdom of Maya Angelou, he captured another perfect image.

Throughout his career, Jim loved taking still pictures, and he devoted himself to that full-time in the last years of his life. Besides photographing his family, he traveled the backroads in search of that shot that told a story.

In Jim's own words:

"While working in broadcast journalism, I felt a need to escape from the overwhelming everyday pressures and demands of that profession.My neighbor worked as a photojournalist for the local newspaper.  His escape was photographing barns and rural scenes, mainly in Mississippi and Arkansas.  We began shooting together and it stirred something in me that continues to burn in my soul to this day.  Our environment is constantly changing.  Many of the places and things I experienced and remember growing up are gone, and those which remain are becoming fewer. While documenting many of these places and landscapes was for my own enjoyment, I found that other people liked them also. I hope that my images may stir up some of the same remembrances, emotions and feelings in you that they have for me."

You can find some of Jim's work on: https://fineartamerica.com/ profiles/jim-raines?fbclid= IwAR0bQiwlX7FoKKE0348UKxPpyswJ RggXoXSmOJI4aYt2eWbl_ slaLhH9Jh0

Jim will be especially remembered for his love of family. We will miss his wit, sarcasm, and sense of humor. We will miss "that look" and just having him around. There is a void here on earth, but in heaven, we just heard God say, "Hey Jim, how would you like to be my Chief Photographer?"