More detail on this person: Colonel James W. (Jim) Jay, U.S. Army, Retired, 69, slipped the shackles of this world and joyfully greeted his heavenly Father Saturday, July 28, 2001, after a courageous battle with that cancer was the result of Agent Orange poisoning from his service in Vietnam. The funeral will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, at Mount Gilead Baptist Church at 2864 South Brannon Stand Road with Brother Tom Anderson and Brother Ronnie Dobbs officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery following the service will full military horrors. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. this evening at the funeral home. Flowers will be accepted or the family request that memorial contributions be made in Colonel Jay's name to the John Birch Society, P.O. Box 8040, Appleton, Wisconsin, 54912. Jim was born February 26, 1932, in Springdale, Arkansas, to James Asa Jay and Jessie Lou Gosvenor Jay. He joined the Army at age 16 and was stationed first in post war Japan as one of General MacArlhur's body guards and then participated in the Inchon Beachhead Landing. He went on to become a 19-year-old First Sergeant before being evacuated from Korea for injuries sustained in battle. He received his commission from Infantry OCS June 22, 1954. He became Olympics qualified as a shooter with the .45 caliber, completed Army Flight School and was rated as an Army Aviator. He retired in 1978 with many degrees, credits, awards and decorations for heroism, bravery and competence. The award of which he was most proud was the fact that he was inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame in July 1977. His picture hangs in the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame, Fort Benning, Ga. Following retirement Jim returned to the Wiregrass and became heavily involved in community, business, charitable and church activities. He established and ran Jay Associates, a private investigative and legal services business for many years; wrote and published the Partisan Times, was past president of the Wicksburg Lions Club, was two time president of the Daleville Rotary Club, was past treasurer of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 87, former chairman of the Houston County Republican Executive Committee; past president, secretary and treasurer of the Wiregrass Republican Club; was elected to three terms on the Alabama State Republican Executive Committee; and former member of the Republican National Committee. He was a member of Mount Gilead Baptist Church but attended Panther Creek Free Will Baptist Church until his health prohibited regular attendance. Jim was passionate in his love for his country, his family and God. He became an authority on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Constitutional law and was heavily involved in teaching folks of all ages about this wonderful country that we are privileged to live in. He firmly believed that freedom is not free and strived to teach that tenant to all who were receptive. He became a chapter leader for the John Birch Society in the late 90s and worked tirelessly to teach all citizens, but especially our young people, what the founding fathers truly meant the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to mean. Colonel Jay is survived by his wife, Judi, Wicksburg; two daughters, Janet J. Brittain (Neal), Alexandria; Cynthia J. Hatcher (Clint), Wicksburg; six sons, James R. Jay, Alexandria; Johnr Bruce (Kim) Jay, Bowling Green, Ky; John Brian (Angle) Jay, Petal, Miss.; Jesse C. (Karen) Jay, Atlanta, Ga.; Michael R. (Carolyn) Jay, Opp; Kenneth C. Jay, Ozark; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Don Hartzog, Billy Deal, John W. Bond, Chong Chon Lee, George Sayles, Bobby Lewis, Kenny Robinson and Rick Risher Honorary pallbearers will be J.C. Baxley, Ronnie Baxley, Dan Davis, Gary Knight, Ed Rindfusz and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 87. The Dothan Eagle, Monday, July 30, 2001 Ward-Wilson Memory Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery, Dothan
Burial information: Ward-Wilson Memory Hill Cemetery
This information was last updated 01/07/2019
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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