Dr. James W Jowers

Dr. Jim Jowers turned in his Navy Gold Wings and gained Celestial Wings as he zoomed to Heaven with the Death Angel who he made famous in his numerous novels. He was born on a small farm in West Tennessee and attended a one-room schoolhouse through the 8th grade. He graduated from Lexington High School with honors, Class of 1951, and entered college at UT Martin. After graduation, he entered the Navy Flight School at Pensacola, Florida as a Naval Aviation Cadet. Upon completion of flight school on March 16, 1955, he was awarded a commission and his Wings of Gold and started a 28-year military career. While in flight school, he met the love of his life, Dr. Mary Catherine Williams of Pensacola and they were married on May 26, 1955. During their military career, they were stationed at numerous duty stations including MCAS, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and NAS Atsugi, Japan. While in Japan, Jim made several trips to NAS, Cubi Point and Vietnam flying combat SAR missions with HC-7 Combat Squadron. During his military career he served a Total of 7 Tours in Vietnam. He completed 212 combat rescue missions in the SH-2A and SH-3A helicopters and was awarded the Distinguish Flying Cross and 8 Air Medals and other awards. He flew 16 different types of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for a total of 5,629 flight hours.

He continued his education while in the Navy. When he retired in 1975, he also graduated from United States International University with a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology. He started his second career with Abbott Laboratories and Johnson & Johnson developing and manufacturing life- saving infusion devices. He was also a College Professor at California Pacific University. Dr. Jim made a profession of faith during a revival at an early age. He continued his love for the Lord throughout his life and was ordained a Deacon at Hilltop Baptist Church in Chula Vista California. He also served as Deacon in several other Baptist churches.

In 1996, they moved from California to Milton, Florida and Jim began his third career as a writer and publisher. He published several novels about his combat experiences in Vietnam and his cancer treatments. In 2003 he was diagnosed with terminal Multiple Myeloma (bone cancer) related to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. He received a life-saving Stem-Cell transplant at UAB Birmingham and fought a long battle as a cancer patient.

Dr. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Carmack and Nova Jowers. He was the third child of eight siblings.

He is survived by his beautiful wife, Catherine, three sons, Ronald (Fran) of Novi, Michigan, Richard (Vaiden) of Fillmore, California, and James Michael of Pensacola, Florida. He also has two grandsons, Daniel, and Justin (Heather) of Oxnard, California, and five great grandchildren.

Jim and three of his brothers were Masons in the Blue Lodge. Jim was also a 32nd Mason in the York and Scottish Rites. He completed 55 years as a Mason.

For those wishing to honor Jim's life, the family request that in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to Jim's Soul Warrior's Group at First Baptist Milton.

A Funeral Service will be held on Friday June 2, 2023, at Lewis Funeral Home Milton Chapel, 6405 Highway 90 W Milton, Florida 32570, with visitation from 10:00-11:00am and service at 11:00am.

A Committal Service will be held Friday June 3, 2023, at 2:00pm at Barrancas National Cemetery, 1 Cemetery Road Pensacola, Florida 32508. The procession will meet no later than 1:30pm at Olive Baptist Church- Warrington Campus, 103 West Winthrop Avenue Pensacola, Florida 32507.