James Ray 'Jim' McNarie was born on August 27, 1936 in Prescott, Arizona. Jim was the son of Eleanor J. and M. J. 'Pop' McNarie
Jim was in pre-flight Class 58-08C, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. While in Navigator flight training at Harlingen AFB, Texas, Jim washed back into class 58-10C.
Jim graduated from Navigator Training in June 1958 at Harlingen AFB, Texas where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings
He then attended Radar Intercept School at James Connally AFB, Waco, Texas where he flew the F-89 'Scorpion'. He graduated in November 1958.
In July 1959, Jim married Kay Jeannie in Prescott, Arizona. Jim and Kay had four children, two daughters, Dawn and Cheryl Stackhouse and two sons, James Jr. and David.
He served in Vietnam, where he flew over 100 tactical combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous Air Medals. Jim retired in 1977 after 20 years of service with the rank of Major.
Jim and Kay Jeannie were divorced in 1985.
In 1989 Jim married Tamsen 'Tammy' R. Thomason at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Maria, California. Tammy was born on December 16, 1962 in Fresno, California.
After retiring in 1995 from 10 years with Northrop Corporation, Jim traveled with Tammy full time for 3½ years and finally determined that Bandera, Texas was the perfect place to settle. In 1998, they purchased 10 acres and Jim had his dream "
In June 2007, Jim was diagnosed with cancer and he passed away on February 21, 2008 at his home in Bandera, Texas.
Tammy attended our 50th cadet class reunion in San Antonio just a few months after Jim's death.
Jim always kept his smile and fought until the very end. He was a great person and will be missed by many.
Obituary published in the Fresno Bee:
James R. McNarie rode to the eternal round-up from his ranch head-quarters in Bandera, TX. at the age of 71. He was born to M. J. 'Pop' and Eleanor J. McNarie. He served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, which included over 100 tactical missions during a tour in Vietnam, and continued on to also retire from Northrop Corporation.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Barbara Stepanowski, and Joan Kellis and her husband James T; and his infant son, Timothy J. He is survived by his loving wife, Tamsen (Thomason) McNarie; his children, Dawn Wickstrom and her husband Dallas, Cheryl Stackhouse and her husband Michael, James R. McNarie Jr. and his wife Jean, and David McNarie; his grandchildren, Timothy, Tyree, Holly, Cody, Dallas, Heather, Shaun and Ryan; his brothers, Robert, William, and Donald; the Bud Fitzpatrick family, and numerous other fiends.
In keeping with his wishes, there will be no formal services.
On July 4, 2008, A Farewell Party for Jim was held at the McNarie Ranch Headquarters complete with cocktails, country music, Texas Bar B Que dinner, picture slide show and topped off with a fireworks extravaganza.
Jim was in pre-flight Class 58-08C, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. While in Navigator flight training at Harlingen AFB, Texas, Jim washed back into class 58-10C.
Jim graduated from Navigator Training in June 1958 at Harlingen AFB, Texas where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings
He then attended Radar Intercept School at James Connally AFB, Waco, Texas where he flew the F-89 'Scorpion'. He graduated in November 1958.
In July 1959, Jim married Kay Jeannie in Prescott, Arizona. Jim and Kay had four children, two daughters, Dawn and Cheryl Stackhouse and two sons, James Jr. and David.
He served in Vietnam, where he flew over 100 tactical combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous Air Medals. Jim retired in 1977 after 20 years of service with the rank of Major.
Jim and Kay Jeannie were divorced in 1985.
In 1989 Jim married Tamsen 'Tammy' R. Thomason at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Maria, California. Tammy was born on December 16, 1962 in Fresno, California.
After retiring in 1995 from 10 years with Northrop Corporation, Jim traveled with Tammy full time for 3½ years and finally determined that Bandera, Texas was the perfect place to settle. In 1998, they purchased 10 acres and Jim had his dream "
In June 2007, Jim was diagnosed with cancer and he passed away on February 21, 2008 at his home in Bandera, Texas.
Tammy attended our 50th cadet class reunion in San Antonio just a few months after Jim's death.
Jim always kept his smile and fought until the very end. He was a great person and will be missed by many.
Obituary published in the Fresno Bee:
James R. McNarie rode to the eternal round-up from his ranch head-quarters in Bandera, TX. at the age of 71. He was born to M. J. 'Pop' and Eleanor J. McNarie. He served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, which included over 100 tactical missions during a tour in Vietnam, and continued on to also retire from Northrop Corporation.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Barbara Stepanowski, and Joan Kellis and her husband James T; and his infant son, Timothy J. He is survived by his loving wife, Tamsen (Thomason) McNarie; his children, Dawn Wickstrom and her husband Dallas, Cheryl Stackhouse and her husband Michael, James R. McNarie Jr. and his wife Jean, and David McNarie; his grandchildren, Timothy, Tyree, Holly, Cody, Dallas, Heather, Shaun and Ryan; his brothers, Robert, William, and Donald; the Bud Fitzpatrick family, and numerous other fiends.
In keeping with his wishes, there will be no formal services.
On July 4, 2008, A Farewell Party for Jim was held at the McNarie Ranch Headquarters complete with cocktails, country music, Texas Bar B Que dinner, picture slide show and topped off with a fireworks extravaganza.
James Ray 'Jim' McNarie was born on August 27, 1936 in Prescott, Arizona. Jim was the son of Eleanor J. and M. J. 'Pop' McNarie
Jim was in pre-flight Class 58-08C, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. While in Navigator flight training at Harlingen AFB, Texas, Jim washed back into class 58-10C.
Jim graduated from Navigator Training in June 1958 at Harlingen AFB, Texas where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings
He then attended Radar Intercept School at James Connally AFB, Waco, Texas where he flew the F-89 'Scorpion'. He graduated in November 1958.
In July 1959, Jim married Kay Jeannie in Prescott, Arizona. Jim and Kay had four children, two daughters, Dawn and Cheryl Stackhouse and two sons, James Jr. and David.
He served in Vietnam, where he flew over 100 tactical combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous Air Medals. Jim retired in 1977 after 20 years of service with the rank of Major.
Jim and Kay Jeannie were divorced in 1985.
In 1989 Jim married Tamsen 'Tammy' R. Thomason at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Maria, California. Tammy was born on December 16, 1962 in Fresno, California.
After retiring in 1995 from 10 years with Northrop Corporation, Jim traveled with Tammy full time for 3½ years and finally determined that Bandera, Texas was the perfect place to settle. In 1998, they purchased 10 acres and Jim had his dream "
In June 2007, Jim was diagnosed with cancer and he passed away on February 21, 2008 at his home in Bandera, Texas.
Tammy attended our 50th cadet class reunion in San Antonio just a few months after Jim's death.
Jim always kept his smile and fought until the very end. He was a great person and will be missed by many.
Obituary published in the Fresno Bee:
James R. McNarie rode to the eternal round-up from his ranch head-quarters in Bandera, TX. at the age of 71. He was born to M. J. 'Pop' and Eleanor J. McNarie. He served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, which included over 100 tactical missions during a tour in Vietnam, and continued on to also retire from Northrop Corporation.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Barbara Stepanowski, and Joan Kellis and her husband James T; and his infant son, Timothy J. He is survived by his loving wife, Tamsen (Thomason) McNarie; his children, Dawn Wickstrom and her husband Dallas, Cheryl Stackhouse and her husband Michael, James R. McNarie Jr. and his wife Jean, and David McNarie; his grandchildren, Timothy, Tyree, Holly, Cody, Dallas, Heather, Shaun and Ryan; his brothers, Robert, William, and Donald; the Bud Fitzpatrick family, and numerous other fiends.
In keeping with his wishes, there will be no formal services.
On July 4, 2008, A Farewell Party for Jim was held at the McNarie Ranch Headquarters complete with cocktails, country music, Texas Bar B Que dinner, picture slide show and topped off with a fireworks extravaganza.
Jim was in pre-flight Class 58-08C, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. While in Navigator flight training at Harlingen AFB, Texas, Jim washed back into class 58-10C.
Jim graduated from Navigator Training in June 1958 at Harlingen AFB, Texas where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings
He then attended Radar Intercept School at James Connally AFB, Waco, Texas where he flew the F-89 'Scorpion'. He graduated in November 1958.
In July 1959, Jim married Kay Jeannie in Prescott, Arizona. Jim and Kay had four children, two daughters, Dawn and Cheryl Stackhouse and two sons, James Jr. and David.
He served in Vietnam, where he flew over 100 tactical combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous Air Medals. Jim retired in 1977 after 20 years of service with the rank of Major.
Jim and Kay Jeannie were divorced in 1985.
In 1989 Jim married Tamsen 'Tammy' R. Thomason at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Maria, California. Tammy was born on December 16, 1962 in Fresno, California.
After retiring in 1995 from 10 years with Northrop Corporation, Jim traveled with Tammy full time for 3½ years and finally determined that Bandera, Texas was the perfect place to settle. In 1998, they purchased 10 acres and Jim had his dream "
In June 2007, Jim was diagnosed with cancer and he passed away on February 21, 2008 at his home in Bandera, Texas.
Tammy attended our 50th cadet class reunion in San Antonio just a few months after Jim's death.
Jim always kept his smile and fought until the very end. He was a great person and will be missed by many.
Obituary published in the Fresno Bee:
James R. McNarie rode to the eternal round-up from his ranch head-quarters in Bandera, TX. at the age of 71. He was born to M. J. 'Pop' and Eleanor J. McNarie. He served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, which included over 100 tactical missions during a tour in Vietnam, and continued on to also retire from Northrop Corporation.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Barbara Stepanowski, and Joan Kellis and her husband James T; and his infant son, Timothy J. He is survived by his loving wife, Tamsen (Thomason) McNarie; his children, Dawn Wickstrom and her husband Dallas, Cheryl Stackhouse and her husband Michael, James R. McNarie Jr. and his wife Jean, and David McNarie; his grandchildren, Timothy, Tyree, Holly, Cody, Dallas, Heather, Shaun and Ryan; his brothers, Robert, William, and Donald; the Bud Fitzpatrick family, and numerous other fiends.
In keeping with his wishes, there will be no formal services.
On July 4, 2008, A Farewell Party for Jim was held at the McNarie Ranch Headquarters complete with cocktails, country music, Texas Bar B Que dinner, picture slide show and topped off with a fireworks extravaganza.
