Lt. Col. James Jacob Orth, USAF (Ret.)

Lt. Col. James J. Orth, USAF, (Ret.), 88, passed December 14, 2011 at home after a history of heart ailments and Parkinson’s disease. He left peacefully and we are grateful for that. He was born April 2, 1923 in an at home birth in Richfield, Kansas.

He joined the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942 to 1947. He was a WWII pilot and served on many missions. He was in Italy 1943 to 1944. He served in Panama 1946 to 1947. After working for the Border Patrol in Raymondville, Texas, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951, where he was assigned to Tucson, Arizona as a pilot instructor until 1953. He retired in 1967 in Minot, North Dakota. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service from November 1962 to June 1965 among many others.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Betty Jean Johnson, a month after their 50th wedding anniversary July 1998; his son-in-law, Roger Bonnell, in November 1998; parents, Charles and Elizabeth Combs Orth and 10 of his 13 brothers and sisters.

He is survived by two sisters, Doris Runkle of New Mexico and Lola Johnson and husband Ken of Colorado. Ironically, his sister Lola is married to our Mom’s brother, Ken. Also, three children, Susan Bonnell, Austin, Jim Orth and wife Karen, Austin, and Nancy Pankratz, Austin.; four granddaughters, Darci Bonnell McAfee and husband Brian in St. Louis, Megan Bonnell in Las Vegas, Stacey Pankratz, and Tina Orth Joza and husband Peter of Austin; three great-grandchildren, Cayden Grant Springman (McAfee), Aidric Carter McAfee, and Audriana Leigh Rainwater; numerous other relatives; and a host of friends.

The family would like to express deep gratitude to the many doctors who attended to him later in life and to Heart to Heart Hospice for their special care at the end of his journey, special long time friends Gladys Longoria and Diane and Bill Wheeler of Austin, and to his youngest daughter Nancy and her daughter Stacey who lived and cared for him and made it possible for him to be in the home he knew and loved until the end. The family will always be grateful to them.

Graveside Services will be at 4:00 P.M., Saturday, December 17, 2011 at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park. Full Military Honors will be rendered by the U.S. Air Force.

Contributions can be sent in his memory to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson Foundation where 90% of monies go to research.