SAINT
MARIE-James Richard Elrod, 88, of St. Marie, MT passed on in his
home on January 12th, 2012 of natural causes.No local services are planned at this time. Interment of his cremated remains will be in the Andersonville National Cemetery in Andersonville, Georgia with military honors. Condolences for the family may be left at www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com. Kirkwood Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements.
James was the son of Joseph Bean Elrod, Jr. and Ruby Alice Finch. He was born Jan 19th 1923 in Americus, Georgia. Mr. Elrod joined the US Navy in May of 1941. His unit was the first to arrive in North Africa in World War II. He returned and was assigned to Lake City, Florida where he met his wife Edna in 1944. They were married in St Augustine, Florida, Sept 12th, 1944. He achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer early in his career and was the maintenance Chief of VP-10 Squadron, Eastern Seaboard Fleet, at Brunswick Naval Air Station, Brunswick Maine. His squadron was awarded the Navy-E two years in succession under his leadership. He retired from the US Navy in May, 1961 while living in Camarillo, California, and entered the US Postal Service, and retired as a rural letter carrier in 1971. He moved to St. Marie, Montana from Americus, GA in August of 1994. He was preceded in death by an older sister Frances Genevieve Elrod; older brother Joseph Bean Elrod III; and a younger brother William Earl Elrod.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years Edna Josephine Elrod of St, Marie; a younger brother Alan Elrod of Cathedral City, Calif.; He has five living children: James P. Elrod (Sharon) of Nashville, Tenn.; Elizabeth Ann Baker (Willard) of Honolulu, Hawaii; Donna Jane Hunt (John) of Sonoma, Calif.; John Matthew Elrod (Lynne) of Calgary, Alberta; and Edward Bruce Elrod of Ventura, Calif. He has nine living grandchildren.
Memorials may be made in James' memory to the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023; (866) 895-4448
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