Jimmie Finley Bragdon

Jim Bragdon was born September 9, 1946 in Houlton, Maine, to Finley Albert Bragdon and Dorothy Mae Bustard, and went home to be with the Lord March 25, 2018. Services:  Visitation-  April 9, 2018, 6-8 PM, White's Funeral Home, Springtown                Memorial Service- April 10, 2018 at 2 PM - All Saints Anglican Church, 125 W. Waco In Weatherford. Jim was raised in New Hartford, CT.  He graduated from Regional 7 High School in 1964 and the University of Hartford in 1969 with a BS in Education. He joined the Navy in 1969 and was on active duty from 1969-1973.  He did two tours of Vietnam on the Aircraft Carrier USS Midway where he flew F4 Phantoms.  He was the RIO (Radar Intercept Officer).  Jim flew 186 combat missions over North Vietnam from 1971-1973 with VF 161.  Jim was awarded the Air Medal 16 times, the Navy Commendation Medal for Valorous Action twice along with many other individual and unit awards.  Jim was also in the Naval Reserves at NAS Dallas from 1975-1994 and retired with the rank of Commander.  He was with Squadron 202 and the 7th Fleet. Jim married his wife, Kathryn, on March 6, 1971.  After active duty they moved from San Diego, CA., to Sherman, TX. where he worked for Johnson & Johnson from 1973-1985.  He then went to work for General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin where he developed training programs for the F16 and F35. He retired in May, 2011, to pursue his hobbies of traveling and woodturning at his home in Springtown, TX.  Jim's love for travel allowed him to check off many places on his bucket list.  He was an avid woodturner where he was most always in his shop "making sawdust." Jim was a longtime member of the Springtown Optimist Club and the Woodturners of North Texas in Ft. Worth. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Kathryn; son, Jimmie Bragdon; daughter, Andrea Reinertson and husband Ken; three sisters, Lynda, Jeannie and Connie; and brother, Cecil. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Jim's name to the American Heart Association.