James “Mengo” Mengwasser

Loved father and friend James “Mengo” Mengwasser, 64, passed away in his hometown Buford, GA, on Saturday following a long illness.

Born n St. Louis, MO, on July 12, 1960, to parents Judith Ann Thedinga and James Joseph Mengwasser, Jim is the second of their four children, including Judith Marie, Jeffrey Allen and John Steven, deceased.

When the family relocated to Navajo Trail in Atlanta, Jim came of age alongside children who would later become his friends and family, neighborhood gang turned lifelong companions. One of these neighbors was especially pivotal along Jim’s journey: first love and forever wife, Sally Mengwasser, a career nurse.

Jim attended Chamblee High School and was a drummer in marching band and a member of the basketball team.

Jim became a father in February 1987, when his daughter Ashley was born. Soon after, in March 1988, son Jim joined her. In accordance with his affinity for the breed, the couple raised countless golden retrievers (and the occasional basset hound) together in their family home in Buford, GA.

A local legend among friends and aspiring friends alike, Jim carried his moniker “Mengo” with the pride of a rockstar’s alter-ego. A drummer by hobby and lifelong musicophile, Jim attended countless concerts, played music ceaselessly, and, the highlight of his life, managed the late music career of his friend and personal idol, Grammy winning singer-songwriter Joe South (“Games People Play,” “Walk a Mile in my Shoes,” “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”).

Like many rock-and-rollers, Jim battled his share of personal struggles.

Most memorable is his indiscriminate friendliness, his magnetizing persona, and his mission to make others feel good. Jim looked out for everyone he knew with the same zeal, regardless of their tenure in his circle. His enduring refrain “laughter’s what we’re after” radiated into his many connections, bearing the trademark of his clear credo in this life: make others laugh, and enjoy seeing them do it.

Jim is survived by his wife Sally Mengwasser of Buford, children Ashley Mengwasser (Canton) and Jim Mengwasser (Buford), his father James Mengwasser (Chamblee), his siblings and their spouses Judy Collins and Shane Murphy (Lawrenceville), Jeff and Amanda Mengwasser (Gainesville), Andy and Stephanie Ulrich (Lawrenceville), and Donna Eggleston and James Keever (Flowery Branch), along with nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides.

Jim fought bravely against pancreatic cancer, but ultimately succumbed. Throughout life, his body seemed unfit to contain his zest for living.

A celebration of life is scheduled on Friday, October 25 from 6-8 p.m. in the Chapel at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford, with Pastor Philip Smith presiding. The Celebration of Life Service will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the Service.

Remembrances can be made in Jim’s honor through contributions to the Hall County Humane Society. The Mengwasser family is thankful for your generosity and commitment to remembering the unforgettable gold-chain-adorned, leather-jacket-clad “Mengo,” who always had a pair of drumsticks close by.

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.