Page 12 - Wayne County

Ask almost any Wayne Countian about Margie and Jim Bland and you will likely hear a list of achievements that includes the former Mayor of Jesup, the impressionist painter, the accomplished dancers, the colorful and witty personalities, the avid hunter and fsherman, the former General Manager of Rayonier, the beautiful home. Such a list, however, misses the essence of this couple so devoted to each other and to their “hometown.” Get to know Margie and Jim Bland, and you will discover that, while the facts are true, a large part of their story is missing if the facts are all you know.

James R. Bland, Jr., known to most as “Jim,” was born in Brunswick on March 21, 1929, but soon moved with his family to Jesup. After graduation from Jesup High School, he headed

to Georgia Tech. Completing his degree, he entered the Korean War as a commissioned Air Force communications offcer. As he began his job search after the war, he recognized his lingering regret that his feld of electrical engineering would likely eliminate his ever working and living in Jesup. At Tech’s job placement center, however, he discovered to his surprise that Jesup was indeed listed as an area seeking electrical engineers. Rayonier had built a mill in Jesup while Jim was in Korea, so he was able to return as an engineer in 1954. He recalls the thrill he felt at “the opportunity to come back home and make a career here.” He is quick to give credit to others for his good fortune: “The opportunity was fortuitously afforded me by the people that worked hard to

For what they have given each other, for what they have given their community, and for what their community has given them, Margie and Jim Bland are truly “hometown proud.”