James “Jim” Allen Harley, 91, of Mathews, Virginia, passed away March 23, 2024.

Jim was an athletic, hardworking man who understood nothing in life comes easy.

He was the second oldest of five brothers and one sister, Ruth Ann Harley, who is his only surviving sibling. He was a Korean war veteran. After graduating in 1950 from Mount Vernon High School in Virginia, he joined the Navy and served from 1951-1955. Following soon after was a 32-year career as a Teamster with RC Cola.

He and his wife of 50 years, Gail Harley–preceding him in death by only 22 days–raised six children together. His son, James “Jim boy” Harley, and daughter, Anna Harley, precede him in death; surviving are his sons, Luther and Benjamin Harley, and stepdaughters, Lora Farney and Donna Ledbetter; five grandchildren, Shannon Polivka, Clayton Harley, Bruce Martin, and Chase and Elizabeth Harley, and four great-grandchildren, Corbin and Emma Polivka, Dawson Martin, and Grant Harley.

Jim coached youth baseball and football for many years before he and Gail retired to Mathews, on the Mobjack Bay in 1994. He lived out his retirement years crabbing, fishing, and hand crafting birds from wood and branches clipped from Gail’s Crepe Myrtle trees. He finished his final years enjoying his water view from his favorite chair on his back porch.

A private ceremony will be held to return Jim and Gail to their home by the bay.

Faulkner Funeral Homes, Foster-Faulkner Chapel, Mathews, is assisting the family.