James Baylous Swinea Jr.

Service: Noon Monday, Aug. 3, in St. Francis Village Catholic Chapel in Crowley. Interment: 2:30 p.m. Monday in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at St. Francis Village, with a rosary at 7 p.m.

James was born in March 1931 to James and Margaret Swinea in Limestone County, Ala. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and began his career in 1949 at Lackland Air Force Base. Among his tenure in the Air Force, he spent time at Chanute Air Force Base for training as an aircraft mechanic, Carswell for flight engineering school, Randolph in San Antonio for combat crew training, Biggs Air Force Base and was assigned to the 1st Strategic Support Squadron. He delivered cargo for several years visiting Bermuda, Azores Islands, England, New Foundland, Main, Goose Bay Labrador, Travis Air Force Base, California, Hawaii and Guam. James transferred to Washington, D.C., in 1963 for assignment in special missions. One especially exciting assignment was maintenance on Air Force One during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, until his retirement in 1969.

After retirement from the Air Force, he moved to Fort Worth and worked as maintenance inspector at an aircraft repair facility. He started his own heating and air conditioning business while attending college for his AA degree. In 1974 he went to work at Fort Worth Country Day School as superintendent of maintenance. He retired from there in 1988.

His family remembers him as a kind and gentle man, a devoted husband and father, doting grandfather and great-grandfather. His family brought him immense joy.

He has joined in heaven his parents; siblings, Frank, John and Margaret; and brother-in-law, Phillip Sloan.

Survivors: Those left to remember him are his wife, Mary; daughter, Susan Page (Bill); grandson, James Price (Jodi); precious great-granddaughter, the apple of his eye, Harper Price; sister, Frances Sloan; many nephews, extended family and friends.