James Douglas (Jim) Kidd

James Douglas (Jim) Kidd, 86, of Shipman, Virginia, passed away after a medical event and car accident on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, across the road from his home on Laurel Road.

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Jim was brought up by his father Hammy, and Minnie, his stepmother. All his life, when he said ‘Mom’, she was always the person he thought of. Jim’s family had deep roots in Nelson County, Virginia, where he spent all his childhood summers with his Granny and Granddaddy, Estelle (Essie) Lillian Wray and James Blaine Kidd, at their home in Shipman. Jim would much rather wake at dawn and ride out on one of Grandaddy’s horses, than spend all day doing chores - reckoning the trouble he’d be in when he got back home was worth it. Their farm is where he spent the last 42 years of his life and where he passed away.

Jim graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria, Virginia and immediately joined the Air Force where he was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana. While stationed there, he began acting in the Shreveport Little Theater, performing alongside George Carlin and receiving rave reviews. The rave reviews continued with friends, family, nurses and bartenders who he entertained with his endless supply of jokes and stories - the wildest of which were always true.

Jim worked many places over the years – 7-11, Pepsi, Toms, Holdren’s and ultimately, in Facilities Management at the University of Virginia, until his retirement in 2006.

Jim was married three times, which yielded his fiercest joy – his four daughters: Sheri Kebbel and husband, Dennis, Debra Carnahan and husband, Russ, Nancy Kidd Hillard and partner, Andre Kannon, and Heather Kidd. From these daughters he has six grandchildren: Julia Kebbel, Arielle Kebbel, Christian Kebbel and wife, Jacqueline, Austin Carnahan, Andrew Carnahan and Sarah Hillard. Jim also had three great-grandchildren: Leyah Hillard, Lillian Kebbel and Lucas Kebbel.

Jim was predeceased by his parents and stepmother – Robert Hamilton (Hammy) Kidd, Marie Via Litz and Minnie Yarborough Kidd – and one sister, Joyce Meekins and is survived by his brothers Robert (Bobby) Kidd and Jack Kidd, and all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held graveside at the Kidd Family Cemetery on Laurel Road in Shipman at 2 pm on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, with a gathering and celebration of life to be held afterwards at Woodridge Brewery in Nelson County.  

Arrangements by the Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel of Lovingston (434-263-4097).