James ‘Jim’ A. Renfrow Jr.

Posted on June 28, 2023

James “Jim” A. Renfrow Jr., 79, passed away peacefully on June 22, 2023, in Crystal River after a long battle with Parkinson’s. Jim was born on July 5, 1943, in Memphis, Tenn., to James A. Renfrow Sr. and Roberta Gill Renfrow Bramble.

He was an Episcopalian by faith. He grew up in Perry when his family was transferred there with Buckeye Cellulose Company.

He attended schools in Taylor County and graduated from Taylor County High School in 1961.

From there he attended North Florida Junior College, then transferred to the University of Florida.

He left college during the Vietnam war and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1967 and was discharged in 1973.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business management from California State University, Sacramento, Calif., in 1974 and went on to receive a master’s degree in 1976.

From 1976 to 1983, he worked with Cessena Aircraft Company, then joined the Air Force Reserves in 1984.

He was then accepted into the flight engineer program on C-5 aircraft and was an honor graduate at the school.

He and his wife, Kay, moved to Ft. Walton Beach from California where Jim remained in the Air Force Reserve as a flight engineer on AC-130 gunships stationed with the Air Force Special Operations at Hulbert Field. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Master Sargent in 1992.

Jim always loved airplanes and anything associated with them.

After his retirement from the reserves, he and Kay moved to San Antonio, Texas, and lived in an airport community with a hangar and airstrip in their backyard. They each had their own airplanes (Jim, a Swift, and Kay, a Cessena), Harley Davidson motorcycles and a Corvette! They enjoyed a life of fun and adventure.

Several years after Kay’s death, Jim moved to Crystal River from Texas in 2020 to be near family. Jim was predeceased by his wife, Kay, and his parents.

He is survived by: his sister, Marilyn Bush (Tom); brother, Robert (Bob) Renfrow (Shirley); half-sister, Patricia (Trish) Johnson (Steve); son, John Davis (Angie); grandchildren, Ryan Davis, Ethan Davis and Dakota Davis; great-grandchildren, Noah Davis and Hannah Davis; step-daughter, Tara Rojas (David); step-grandchildren, Johnny Rogas and Vanessa Rogas; nieces and nephews, Shawn Bush, Whitney Melcolm (Derek), Sarah Mandemaker (Patrick), Brendan Melcolm, Brian Markham (Raechel), Lindsay Kushin (Robert), Kyle Markham, Jarrett Johnson (Taylor Sue), Cody Johnson (Shae), Makayla Callaway (Cole), Wyatt Johnson, Tyler Johnson and Colby Orwig; and great-nieces and great-nephews, Hazel Mandemaker, Holden Mandemaker, TJ, Axel, Angelina, Jaelynn, Leyton, Brexton, Kaycen, Kallan, Ellie, Addie, Ember, Amiah and Jaxton. The family would like to thank the caregivers of Rosecastle Assisted Living and Memory Care in Lacanto and the wonderful nurses of Vitas Hospice, also in Lacanto.

There will be no formal service per Jim’s request. A celebration of life will be held the end of August in Navarre Beach. Donations in Jim’s honor can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, donations@michaeljfox.org, or to Vitas Healthcare, vitas.com, Lecanto, Fla.

“But those who hope in the Lorri will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)