LTC JAMES E. GRAHAM To TAPS

LTC JAMES E. GRAHAM passed away 2/19/2014.

Roger Edgington passed on this information:

Just received a phone call from the daughter of one of our oldest Finance Corps officer's friends

Lt Colonel James Elliot Graham,  passed away on Wednesday February 19, 2014, just a few days after his 90th Birthday.  

Jim was an Army Air Force pilot during WWII, and transferred to the Army sometime in 1948-49.  He was the F & AO at Bremerhaven, Germany, when I first met him.  He subsequently transferred down to Giessen and became the F & AO there, working for John Kjellstrom who was the Comptroller at the time,  circa 1957

We were friends of the Graham family in DC as well.  He is survived by two daughters,  and many grand and great grandchildren.

Betty, his wife preceded him in death on 6 NOV 2011.  They have lived in Dallas, TX for many years. The funeral will be in Dallas next Sunday, March 2nd.. 

Here is the full obituary:

Graham, James Elliott (Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Retired)
   

Born February 11, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois to Irene Myrtle Elliott and Edward James Graham and died February 19, 2014 in Frisco, Texas.  Jim graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1942 and the University of Maryland in 1962.  On November 9, 1945, he married the love of his life, Betty Weaver Graham, in Dallas, Texas.  Together they had 65 wonderful years.

A career Army officer, Jim completed 35 combat missions as a B-17 copilot in WWII with the 96th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force based at Snetterton Heath in Norfolk, England.  Jim later served with the 1st Cavalry Division in the Korean War and retired in 1970 to Dallas, Texas. His 26 years of service and career as a pilot and finance officer took him across the United States and throughout the world.  Jim retired a second time in 1989 after 18 years at Southern Methodist University as the Business Manager for the Cox School of Business.

Jim is survived by his daughters Valorie Strickler (Theodore) & Kathleen Poliner (Randall); grandchildren Matthew Strickler (Suzanne), Major Jason Strickler (U.S. Air Force), Graham Poliner (Whitney), and Caitlin Poliner; great-grandchildren Ian, Daniel, Nathan, and Samantha Strickler and Avery Poliner.  Jim celebrated his 90th birthday in grand style this month with his extended family in Washington, DC.  He truly lived until he died.

Memorial service will be Sunday March 2nd at 12pm at Sparkman-Hillcrest funeral home in Dallas.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, PO Box 1992, Savannah, Georgia 31402;.