James Allen Harden

James Allen (Jim) Harden was born on May 28, 1958 in Baxley, Georgia to the late Lawrence Allen Harden and Norma Courson Harden Zelder. He was the eldest of three siblings born to this union. While in Baxley, Jim enjoyed cooking at an early age with his mother. While active in church from the cradle, he loved music and learned to play the piano as a child. Jim was educated in the Appling County Public Schools. He graduated from Appling County High School in 1976. During his senior year of high school, he was President of the Student Council and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Student Director of the Chorus, and selected Most Talented. Also during that year, he was inducted into Who’s Who Among American High School Students. He attended Valdosta State University for one year as a music major. An active churchman, Jim was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Baxley, Georgia from birth until high school graduation. He was very active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF), the Youth Choir, the Adult Choir, and served as choir accompanist. He received his first professional church music appointment while in college as a music major. Upon moving to Atlanta in 1978, he was the Choir Director at the Atlanta Bible Society and the First Metropolitan Community Church. After attending several churches in Atlanta over the next decade, he found St. Mark United Methodist Church in Midtown Atlanta in 1991 shortly after it opened its doors to the LGBT Community. While at St. Mark, he was very active on many committees, the music ministry, and as parish administrator. In 1999, Jim joined the First Congregational Church in Downtown Atlanta where he served on the Board of Trustees and sang in the Chancel Choir. In 2004, he joined St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Southwest Atlanta where he was active in the Choir, Media Ministry, and Flower Ministry. Finally in 2017, Jim returned home to his beloved First Congregational Church where he was active until his death. In 1980, he left the church music profession to pursue an accounting career. After working in the accounting department of three firms, he worked his way up to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of one of Atlanta’s leading Engineering Firms, where he worked for 22 years until his retirement in 2008. Jim received many awards during his career as CFO. In 1996, he met the love of his life, Trey Clegg, during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Three years later, they began dating before they had an enormous Commitment Ceremony on July 29, 2000. Their ceremony was hailed by journalists as the LGBT event of the century, complete with a 20-piece orchestra, a 60-voice choir, 16 male and female attendants, flower arrangements abounding, lavish buffets, and dancing. During their partnership, Jim and Trey traveled throughout America, Europe and the Caribbean on vacations and for Trey’s career as a Professional Concert Organist and Choral Conductor. Their travels led them to such cities as Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Salzburg, Vienna, Barbados, The Bahamas, New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, and the Music in Paradise Festival in Key West. Jim Harden had several hobbies. He was a fabulous gourmet cook and baker, a tailor, a gardener, a florist, a decorator and cake decorator. Jim was also an avid collector of cookbooks, sheet music, recordings, statues, art, sculptures and decorated eggs. He also loved to plan, organize, and decorate for major events. Jim loved the Trey Clegg Singers, Inc. (TCS), Atlanta’s new multicultural chorus. He was the staff administrator/secretary for the TCS and served on the Board of Directors for the organization. Jim was present at every rehearsal and concert, in addition to offering his decorating and organizational skills to the group. The two TCS Christmas Concerts thus far have included lavish and colorful holiday décor that Jim artistically and lovingly created for the events. He spent hours of detailed work to prepare for the delivery of these concerts. He had a gift for hospitality and organization while remaining calm through it all. He spoke so gently and quietly that one had to lean in a little closer to hear him. This quiet, loving nature encouraged and cheered for all whom he loved. This gentle strength of character also carried him through 32 years of being HIV positive. Even as his body gradually weakened over the past year, still no one was prepared for him to lose his decades-long battle so soon. On this side of life, his family will always miss him and expect him to be coming into the kitchen at any moment, quietly asking what he can do to help. Cherishing his memory are his devoted partner of many years, Cecil G. Clegg, III (Trey); sister, Helen Harden and brother, Robbie Harden. Also, nieces and nephews include Dean Harden, Shala Connell, Woody Anderson, Christian Harden, Katie Harden and Austin Harden. Extended family include: Rev. and Mrs. Cecil G. Clegg, Jr.; Rev. and Mrs. Joseph D. Clegg; Master Sergeant Wade Clegg; Mrs. E. Paulette Smith-Epps and her family; Mrs. Brenda Berry; Ms. Velda North; Ms. Charlotte Dudley; and Ms. Priscilla Boatner.