Colonel James Russell Dismukes, 92, known by most as the Colonel, passed away peacefully in Nashville on March 12, 2025, surrounded by his wife and other family members. He was a decorated Veteran, successful retailer, loving husband, devoted father, and adoring grandfather. Colonel Dismukes was preceded in death by his parents, Colonel Roy Lloyd Dismukes and Mary Aileen Russell Dismukes; father and mother-in-law; Cecil Elrod, Jr. and Betty Elrod; and uncle, Homer and Linda Russell.

Colonel Dismukes survived by his wife, Karen Elrod Dismukes; daughters, Tara Dismukes Wegdam (Ben), and Karen Aileen Dismukes Cooper (William); son, James Russell Dismukes, II (Christy); grandchildren, Kiki, Paris, and Ben Wegdam, Jr., Wills and Constance Cooper, Jim, III and Lana Dismukes; brothers and sisters-in-law, Cecil Elrod, III (Tommye), Susan Creagh (George), Beth Scofield, (Roscoe), and David Elrod (Nancy Burns); cousin, Margaret Hendrick (Jed), and a host of extended family, friends and admirers will cherish his memory. He loved big and he loved his life.

Visitation will be from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with the service beginning at 1:30 pm at St. Georges Episcopal Church in Nashville with Rev. J. Malone Gilliam officiating. The graveside service will be held at Evergreen Cemetery, 519 Greenland Drive, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 with Jerry Mansfield officiating. Pallbearers, Jim Dismukes, III, Wills Cooper, Ben Wegdam, Jr., Rob Sanders, John Sanders, David Elrod, Ben Wegdam, William Cooper, and John Murphy. The family would like to honor his deceased friends as honorary pallbearers, Hal Jordan, John Ed Willoughby, Chet Fannon, Andy Jackson, Earl Bass and Bobby Cooper.