Funeral services are today (Jan. 20) at Beaver Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church for noted Powell business and political leader Jim Harbin. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. at the church with services to follow. Burial will be 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery.
Mr. Harbin passed away Jan. 17 at his home at age 85. He was active in home-building and commercial development. He served on Knox County Commission for two terms, representing District 6.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Faye, who participated actively in his work; sons James, Dennis and Rick; daughter-in-law, Glenda; grandchildren, Shawn and Jessica “Nickie” Harbin. He was preceded in death by son Terry Harbin.
As a U.S. Navy reservist, he was called to active duty during the early Korean War and near the end of the war, as a Navy medical corpsman attached to the 2nd Marine division. He received a Purple Heart at T-Bone Hill near Chorwon in North Korea.
He was the past president of Powell Lions Club and chaired the Powell Industrial Committee, which had a lead role in obtaining Levi Strauss to locate in the Powell community. He was a president of Association of Builders and Contractors. He was also a lifetime member of 40-plus years in the Knox Area Association of Realtors. Jim and Faye were longtime members of Beaver Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Lamp Lighters Sunday School class. They also traveled extensively during their lifetime, both nationally and internationally; mostly related to business or civic conventions.