James Leonard Truax

James Leonard Truax, 84, passed away at his home in Sun City West, Arizona on Memorial Day, May 31. At his request, cremation has taken place in Arizona. This true patriot is gone now but not forgotten. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jim’s honor may be made to the Nebraska Children’s Home, 3649 Fontenelle Blvd, Omaha, NE 68014 or the Children’s Discovery Center at the Riverside Zoo in Scottsbluff. Jim was born October 28, 1925 in Wheatland, WY to Ernest Leroy Truax and Alma Leita Perrine Truax. The family moved to Gering a year later where his father owned a grocery store and his mother taught school and piano lessons. When Jim was in 8th grade, the family moved to Scottsbluff. His father was the Register of Deeds until his death and then his mother was elected to that office. When Jim was a senior in high school World War II brought the USA into the fight and like so many of his classmates he enlisted in the Navy the day after graduation at the age of 17. He served on the aircraft carrier USS Wasp and was a crew member of VT86, a squadron of torpedo bombers. In March 1945 his plane was the last one off the flight deck when a bomb hit the ship causing a great number of fatalities and extensive damage. After the ship was repaired it was put back into action in the Pacific until the end of the war. His crew was flying to Tokyo when they were called back to the ship saying “War’s Over!’. The ship was still being attacked by Kamikazes until they got out of range. His company also dropped food and medical supplies to the POWs that were imprisoned on the Japanese mainland. Jim married his high school sweetheart, Donna Jane Gassner, when he got back to the United States and was later honorably discharged in October 1946. He worked as the bookkeeper for Mead Elevator and then for Dick Corey at Scottsbluff Packing Company. In 1970 Jim was hired by Hormel Foods and moved the family to Fort Dodge, Iowa and then later to Austin, Minnesota. The cold winters there helped in his decision to retire to Arizona with Donna Jane. One of Jim’s favorite things to do was to attend reunions of his Navy Squadron. He and his pals were full of stories about their service to this nation. He was a life member of VFW Post #1681 and Elks Lodge #1367 and a member of Elks Lodge #2559 in Sun City. Survivors include his daughters and their husbands, Patricia and Dan Ramsey of Scottsbluff and Allyson and Vern Schuur of Colorado Springs, CO; grandchildren: James Ramsey and Sarah (Lee) Pinet, Scottsbluff, NE, William (Heather) Ramsey, Omaha, NE, Emily (Josh) Genz and Katy (Adam) Cook, Colorado Springs, CO; great-grandchildren: Alex Ramsey and Victoria Branco, Omaha, NE, Danielle, Grant and Neal Pinet, Scottsbluff, NE, Alexis and Natalie Genz, Colorado, Springs, CO. Also a special bunch of friends in Sun City, including, Phoebe Saunders. He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna Jane, his parents and his brother Ernest Leroy Truax, Jr.