James Edward Nivens

James Edward Nivens, age 96, of Gainesville, Georgia, passed away Monday, January 24, 2022.

Ed was born June 25, 1925, in Sylacauga, Alabama. He moved to Gainesville along with his mother, father, brother, and sister in 1932 after a tornado destroyed the town of Sylacauga along with their home. Four years later, the 1936 tornado that destroyed much of the city of Gainesville spared their home on Broad Street.

Ed attended Main Street Elementary School and Gainesville High School. He played Center for the regional championship Gainesville team in 1942. In 1943, after graduation from high school, he attended the University of Georgia. As the United States became more engaged in the war in Europe and the Pacific, his patriotism temporarily overruled college and he joined the Air Force prior to finishing his first year of college.

He attended flight training school where he excelled. He trained and flew the F-84 and F-86 fighter jets. He broke the sound barrier in the F-86 Sabre jet by climbing to an altitude of 50,000 feet and going into a controlled dive, pulling out at 7,000 feet. He also flew an F-84 under Browns Bridge in Gainesville prior to the lake reaching full pool. At the age of 83, he co-piloted the B-17 Flying Fortress “Liberty Bell’ from Canton, GA to Savannah, GA.

Ed returned to the University of Georgia in 1945 and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor in Business Administration degree. He married the beautiful Betty Terrell Goforth in 1943. They were high school sweethearts, Betty being a cheerleader and Ed a co-captain of the football team.

He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Gainesville and was a founding member of the infamous Anglers Sunday School Class in 1963. He is a past president of the Gainesville Rotary Club, a past president of the Chattahoochee Country Club and past president of the Gainesville Touchdown Club. During his retirement years he volunteered in the pharmacy at the Good News Clinic in Gainesville until the age of 92.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Ed owned Goforth Hardware, Nivens Fence Company, and Nivens Plant Nursery. In 1969, he became a manufacturer’s representative for commercial furniture manufacturers. His company, Nivens-Marcos Associates, represented commercial contract furniture manufacturers from New York to California, from Chicago to Miami.

Ed was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty, and mother of his children, as well as his second wife, Jackie Marshall Nivens. He was also preceded in death by his father, James Speer Nivens, his mother, Mae Talley Nivens, his brother, Ernest Nivens, his sister and brother-in-law, Betty Mae and Bob Nelson.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, James T. and Kittye Nivens, John A. and Cindy Nivens, Nancy and David Clinton, six grandchildren, Allen and Meg Nivens, Seth and Dana Nivens, Leslie and Adam Miller, James II and Anna Nivens, Ashley and Joel Snyder, and Laura and Bo McNeil; ten great-grandchildren, Sara, Annie, Sully (Sullivan), Ben, Ellie, Elias, Diana, Claire, Olivia and Lucas; and many nephews and nieces, all whom had an immense love for their PaPa.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation and love to Whitney Dunlap. We also want to thank Louise Brewer and John Johnson and the wonderful staff of Lanier Village Estates.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 am Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Gainesville First United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the Gathering Room at the church. Interment will be in Alta Vista Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to The Ministry of Caring and Sharing at Gainesville First Baptist Church, 751 Green Street, Gainesville, GA 30501, or Good News Clinics, 810 Pine Street, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 or a charity of your choice.

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com

To live stream the service at http://www.GFUMC.com/memorialservices