James Arvel "Jiggs" Gaither

James “Jiggs” Arvel Gaither, 92, of Hamptonville, passed from his earthly body and entered the presence of the Lord on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Gordon Hospice House in Statesville.

Born on May 26, 1933, in Eagle Mills, Jiggs was the son of the late Reece Winston Gaither and Ruby Lee Trivette. His Gaither ancestry traces back to John Gather (Gaither), born in 1599 in Lamberhurst, Kent County, England, who sailed to Jamestown, Virginia aboard the George in 1623. For over 400 years, the Gaither family has called this land home. Jiggs was the 11th generation of his family born in America.

He witnessed extraordinary changes over the course of his life. Born during the Great Depression, he was just eight years old when the nation entered World War II. His family lived in a mill house on Hunting Creek, where they helped operate Eagle Mills, a gristmill producing flour. In addition to the mill the Eagle Mills property contained a church, mill homes, community well and a general store, which were owned by his uncle, Dallas Brady “Dash” Gaither.

Jiggs attended Union Grove School through the ninth grade before leaving to work alongside his father and uncle at Eagle Mills.

In May 1953, he joined the U.S. Army. With his experience at the gristmill, he was assigned a cook position and stationed in Salzburg, Austria, as part of the post-World War II Allied occupation. For his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and the Good Conduct Medal.

After returning home, Jiggs met Wilma Louella York, who had grown up just a mile away. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day, 1958, and married on June 28 of that year in York, South Carolina.

Throughout his working life, Jiggs wore many hats: helping at Eagle Mills, balancing the books for the DB Gaither General Store and associated businesses, clearing timber for the creation of Lake Norman, and later working at the Southern Screw Factory until its closure in 1990. In his sixties, he continued his hard-working ways at the Turnersburg Livestock Exchange and with a small herd of cattle at his home.

During his thirties, Jiggs struggled with alcohol addiction. In 1970, he attended a camp meeting on the banks of Hunting Creek in a state of drunkenness—and there, his life was forever changed. He was saved by the grace of God, baptized, and set free from addiction. From that day forward, he never touched alcohol or tobacco again. Jiggs became a devoted servant of Christ and a cornerstone of faith for his family.

In the mid-1970s, Jiggs and Wilma were among the founding members of West Yadkin Assembly of God Church in Hamptonville, where they faithfully served for decades. He loved hymns and was known for his work as choir director and deacon.

Beyond his faith and family, Jiggs had a lifelong love of NASCAR. As a boy, he and his cousin snuck off to North Wilkesboro Speedway to watch dirt-track races, climbing a tree to avoid buying tickets. When a wreck sent an axle flying toward them, they narrowly escaped injury—an adventure he retold many times. Later in life, he and his father-in-law often traveled to NASCAR events, bonding over their shared passion for the sport. His love of the sport was passed down to his son and grandsons.

Jiggs faced life’s trials with courage. He battled cancer twice and, more than sixteen years ago, survived a debilitating stroke that left him unable to speak and limited the use of his arm. Through it all, Wilma remained his faithful companion and caregiver. Despite his physical limitations, Jiggs continued to find joy in his family, cherishing the extra years he was given to watch his great-grandchildren grow.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his infant brother; and two sisters, Mary Ruth Jarvis and Lavinia "Shug" Wooten.

Jiggs is survived by his wife of 67 years Wilma York Gaither; his son Terry Gaither and wife Deanna; his daughter Shari Powers and husband Gene; his grandchildren: Doug Gaither and wife Erin, Amanda Loftis and husband Ben, Troy Powers and wife Laura, Grant Gaither and wife Stefanie; his great-grandchildren: Cyrus Gaither, Garrett, Connor & Ella Loftis, Laiklyn & Reese Powers, Evelyn Gaither; two sisters, Edna Wood, Linda Crater and husband Ralph; two brothers-in-law: Homer York and wife Donna, Clay York; three sisters-in-law: Rosalie Campbell, Vanessa Sharpe and husband Keith and Cynthia Madison, and numerous nieces, nephews & extended family.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 pm Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at Troutman Funeral Home. The family will receive friends for 30 minutes prior to the funeral in the chapel. Burial with full military honors will follow at Iredell Memorial Park at 3 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to North Iredell Rescue Squad, 1538 Tabor Rd, Harmony, NC.

Troutman Funeral Home is serving the family of James Gaither.