Born July 24, 1937 in Fort Smith Arkansas to Juel Doyle and Marian Louise Howard. The first of six sons. On May 12, 2018 at age 80 he left to be with the Lord and his beloved wife Patsy.
His father's career was in commercial and industrial construction. This allowed Jim to begin his journey of exploring the world at age six months. It did not end until his passing.
In 1947 his father decided to put stability in the lives of his sons and quit the change of school systems every year or two. He bought a home in Muskogee, the corporate headquarters of his company. He continued to travel, coming home on weekends.
As the eldest of six sons, his father held him responsible for the conduct of his younger brothers. Upon his return home each weekend he received a report of their behavior. It was most often Jim that got his britches dusted. It was during this time that Jim learned to be a First Sergeant and a supervisor much to the dismay of his brothers.
In 1954 two events set the stage for the remainder of Jim's journey. He met and fell in love with Patsy Jane Peachee. They were married in 1956 and it was a sixty year love affair for all to see. Patsy and Jim were baptized at the old Calvary Baptist Church in Muskogee. The other event was joining the Army National Guard. He did not resent so much the increased level of discipline as he did a ten mile forced field march in full combat gear in the August heat of Fort Hood, TX, and with less than four hour rest, the return march to the post. It was during that march he began to think there must be a better way to serve your country. In November of that year, he joined the Air Force. That was the beginning of a twenty year career and he was always grateful to the Army for showing him the way.
His military career was that of a jet engine mechanic / crew chief on a B47 Bomber in Strategic Air Command. The temporary duty assignments took him to such places as the Azores, Bermuda, North Africa, Gibraltar, France, England, Scotland, Greenland and Labrador.
In 1957 the Russians placed "Sputnik" in orbit and the race to space was on. Jim was one of the first selected for the missile program. He was trained as a rocket engine technician / launch crew operator on the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas weapon systems. As each of these systems was phased out, they were replaced with the Minuteman system. Jim became a Senior Controller for the SAC Minuteman Missile Program and served in North Dakota, Montana and Missouri. The last two years of his military was that of a First Sergeant in a 500 man missile maintenance squadron.
Upon retirement from the military he became an electrical field engineer for the Bechtel Corporation doing shutdown / upgrades for petro chemical plants from Galveston, TX to eastern Tennessee.
In 1991 he was employed by Raytheon as the Director for Maintenance on the Johnston Atoll in the South Pacific. They designed, built and operated the world's first Chemical Demil Plant, destroying chemical weapons for the Department of the Army. He retired from Raytheon in 1998.
His beloved Patsy was unable to travel with him in the early part of his career, but as a civilian, he made up for that. She was to visit from Alaska to the deep Western part of Mexico, the southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico to Barbados, Sydney Australia and the islands of Hawaii. Some of them several times. Of all their travels there was only a couple of places they had no desire to return. Because of the horrible winters, Grand Forks, North Dakota was one of them. Jim often said he disliked the place so much he refused to even fly over it in an airplane. When SAC attempted to reassign him there for another four year tour, he retired from the Air Force. Enough was enough.
Jim will be missed by his family, his friends and those who knew him. He was well known for his sense of humor, hi kindness, and his love of his fellow man. His family will certainly miss his many stories of his adventures.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patsy, his youngest son Robert, both parents, and his brother Gary.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday May 17, 2018 at the Lescher-Millsap Funeral Home Chapel in Muskogee with David Calvert officiating. Interment will be in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery at 1 pm with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
His father's career was in commercial and industrial construction. This allowed Jim to begin his journey of exploring the world at age six months. It did not end until his passing.
In 1947 his father decided to put stability in the lives of his sons and quit the change of school systems every year or two. He bought a home in Muskogee, the corporate headquarters of his company. He continued to travel, coming home on weekends.
As the eldest of six sons, his father held him responsible for the conduct of his younger brothers. Upon his return home each weekend he received a report of their behavior. It was most often Jim that got his britches dusted. It was during this time that Jim learned to be a First Sergeant and a supervisor much to the dismay of his brothers.
In 1954 two events set the stage for the remainder of Jim's journey. He met and fell in love with Patsy Jane Peachee. They were married in 1956 and it was a sixty year love affair for all to see. Patsy and Jim were baptized at the old Calvary Baptist Church in Muskogee. The other event was joining the Army National Guard. He did not resent so much the increased level of discipline as he did a ten mile forced field march in full combat gear in the August heat of Fort Hood, TX, and with less than four hour rest, the return march to the post. It was during that march he began to think there must be a better way to serve your country. In November of that year, he joined the Air Force. That was the beginning of a twenty year career and he was always grateful to the Army for showing him the way.
His military career was that of a jet engine mechanic / crew chief on a B47 Bomber in Strategic Air Command. The temporary duty assignments took him to such places as the Azores, Bermuda, North Africa, Gibraltar, France, England, Scotland, Greenland and Labrador.
In 1957 the Russians placed "Sputnik" in orbit and the race to space was on. Jim was one of the first selected for the missile program. He was trained as a rocket engine technician / launch crew operator on the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas weapon systems. As each of these systems was phased out, they were replaced with the Minuteman system. Jim became a Senior Controller for the SAC Minuteman Missile Program and served in North Dakota, Montana and Missouri. The last two years of his military was that of a First Sergeant in a 500 man missile maintenance squadron.
Upon retirement from the military he became an electrical field engineer for the Bechtel Corporation doing shutdown / upgrades for petro chemical plants from Galveston, TX to eastern Tennessee.
In 1991 he was employed by Raytheon as the Director for Maintenance on the Johnston Atoll in the South Pacific. They designed, built and operated the world's first Chemical Demil Plant, destroying chemical weapons for the Department of the Army. He retired from Raytheon in 1998.
His beloved Patsy was unable to travel with him in the early part of his career, but as a civilian, he made up for that. She was to visit from Alaska to the deep Western part of Mexico, the southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico to Barbados, Sydney Australia and the islands of Hawaii. Some of them several times. Of all their travels there was only a couple of places they had no desire to return. Because of the horrible winters, Grand Forks, North Dakota was one of them. Jim often said he disliked the place so much he refused to even fly over it in an airplane. When SAC attempted to reassign him there for another four year tour, he retired from the Air Force. Enough was enough.
Jim will be missed by his family, his friends and those who knew him. He was well known for his sense of humor, hi kindness, and his love of his fellow man. His family will certainly miss his many stories of his adventures.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patsy, his youngest son Robert, both parents, and his brother Gary.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday May 17, 2018 at the Lescher-Millsap Funeral Home Chapel in Muskogee with David Calvert officiating. Interment will be in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery at 1 pm with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
Born July 24, 1937 in Fort Smith Arkansas to Juel Doyle and Marian Louise Howard. The first of six sons. On May 12, 2018 at age 80 he left to be with the Lord and his beloved wife Patsy.
His father's career was in commercial and industrial construction. This allowed Jim to begin his journey of exploring the world at age six months. It did not end until his passing.
In 1947 his father decided to put stability in the lives of his sons and quit the change of school systems every year or two. He bought a home in Muskogee, the corporate headquarters of his company. He continued to travel, coming home on weekends.
As the eldest of six sons, his father held him responsible for the conduct of his younger brothers. Upon his return home each weekend he received a report of their behavior. It was most often Jim that got his britches dusted. It was during this time that Jim learned to be a First Sergeant and a supervisor much to the dismay of his brothers.
In 1954 two events set the stage for the remainder of Jim's journey. He met and fell in love with Patsy Jane Peachee. They were married in 1956 and it was a sixty year love affair for all to see. Patsy and Jim were baptized at the old Calvary Baptist Church in Muskogee. The other event was joining the Army National Guard. He did not resent so much the increased level of discipline as he did a ten mile forced field march in full combat gear in the August heat of Fort Hood, TX, and with less than four hour rest, the return march to the post. It was during that march he began to think there must be a better way to serve your country. In November of that year, he joined the Air Force. That was the beginning of a twenty year career and he was always grateful to the Army for showing him the way.
His military career was that of a jet engine mechanic / crew chief on a B47 Bomber in Strategic Air Command. The temporary duty assignments took him to such places as the Azores, Bermuda, North Africa, Gibraltar, France, England, Scotland, Greenland and Labrador.
In 1957 the Russians placed "Sputnik" in orbit and the race to space was on. Jim was one of the first selected for the missile program. He was trained as a rocket engine technician / launch crew operator on the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas weapon systems. As each of these systems was phased out, they were replaced with the Minuteman system. Jim became a Senior Controller for the SAC Minuteman Missile Program and served in North Dakota, Montana and Missouri. The last two years of his military was that of a First Sergeant in a 500 man missile maintenance squadron.
Upon retirement from the military he became an electrical field engineer for the Bechtel Corporation doing shutdown / upgrades for petro chemical plants from Galveston, TX to eastern Tennessee.
In 1991 he was employed by Raytheon as the Director for Maintenance on the Johnston Atoll in the South Pacific. They designed, built and operated the world's first Chemical Demil Plant, destroying chemical weapons for the Department of the Army. He retired from Raytheon in 1998.
His beloved Patsy was unable to travel with him in the early part of his career, but as a civilian, he made up for that. She was to visit from Alaska to the deep Western part of Mexico, the southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico to Barbados, Sydney Australia and the islands of Hawaii. Some of them several times. Of all their travels there was only a couple of places they had no desire to return. Because of the horrible winters, Grand Forks, North Dakota was one of them. Jim often said he disliked the place so much he refused to even fly over it in an airplane. When SAC attempted to reassign him there for another four year tour, he retired from the Air Force. Enough was enough.
Jim will be missed by his family, his friends and those who knew him. He was well known for his sense of humor, hi kindness, and his love of his fellow man. His family will certainly miss his many stories of his adventures.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patsy, his youngest son Robert, both parents, and his brother Gary.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday May 17, 2018 at the Lescher-Millsap Funeral Home Chapel in Muskogee with David Calvert officiating. Interment will be in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery at 1 pm with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
His father's career was in commercial and industrial construction. This allowed Jim to begin his journey of exploring the world at age six months. It did not end until his passing.
In 1947 his father decided to put stability in the lives of his sons and quit the change of school systems every year or two. He bought a home in Muskogee, the corporate headquarters of his company. He continued to travel, coming home on weekends.
As the eldest of six sons, his father held him responsible for the conduct of his younger brothers. Upon his return home each weekend he received a report of their behavior. It was most often Jim that got his britches dusted. It was during this time that Jim learned to be a First Sergeant and a supervisor much to the dismay of his brothers.
In 1954 two events set the stage for the remainder of Jim's journey. He met and fell in love with Patsy Jane Peachee. They were married in 1956 and it was a sixty year love affair for all to see. Patsy and Jim were baptized at the old Calvary Baptist Church in Muskogee. The other event was joining the Army National Guard. He did not resent so much the increased level of discipline as he did a ten mile forced field march in full combat gear in the August heat of Fort Hood, TX, and with less than four hour rest, the return march to the post. It was during that march he began to think there must be a better way to serve your country. In November of that year, he joined the Air Force. That was the beginning of a twenty year career and he was always grateful to the Army for showing him the way.
His military career was that of a jet engine mechanic / crew chief on a B47 Bomber in Strategic Air Command. The temporary duty assignments took him to such places as the Azores, Bermuda, North Africa, Gibraltar, France, England, Scotland, Greenland and Labrador.
In 1957 the Russians placed "Sputnik" in orbit and the race to space was on. Jim was one of the first selected for the missile program. He was trained as a rocket engine technician / launch crew operator on the Redstone, Jupiter and Atlas weapon systems. As each of these systems was phased out, they were replaced with the Minuteman system. Jim became a Senior Controller for the SAC Minuteman Missile Program and served in North Dakota, Montana and Missouri. The last two years of his military was that of a First Sergeant in a 500 man missile maintenance squadron.
Upon retirement from the military he became an electrical field engineer for the Bechtel Corporation doing shutdown / upgrades for petro chemical plants from Galveston, TX to eastern Tennessee.
In 1991 he was employed by Raytheon as the Director for Maintenance on the Johnston Atoll in the South Pacific. They designed, built and operated the world's first Chemical Demil Plant, destroying chemical weapons for the Department of the Army. He retired from Raytheon in 1998.
His beloved Patsy was unable to travel with him in the early part of his career, but as a civilian, he made up for that. She was to visit from Alaska to the deep Western part of Mexico, the southern Caribbean from Puerto Rico to Barbados, Sydney Australia and the islands of Hawaii. Some of them several times. Of all their travels there was only a couple of places they had no desire to return. Because of the horrible winters, Grand Forks, North Dakota was one of them. Jim often said he disliked the place so much he refused to even fly over it in an airplane. When SAC attempted to reassign him there for another four year tour, he retired from the Air Force. Enough was enough.
Jim will be missed by his family, his friends and those who knew him. He was well known for his sense of humor, hi kindness, and his love of his fellow man. His family will certainly miss his many stories of his adventures.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patsy, his youngest son Robert, both parents, and his brother Gary.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday May 17, 2018 at the Lescher-Millsap Funeral Home Chapel in Muskogee with David Calvert officiating. Interment will be in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery at 1 pm with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
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