James Sunkes

1936 - 2020

SUNKES, James "Jim" 84, of Kettering, passed away on October 6, 2020, at Hospice of Dayton surrounded by loved ones. Jim was born February 13, 1936, in Lafayette, IN, to Roy and Flora (Dunlap) Sunkes. Jim graduated from Purdue University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Air Transportation Engineering. Jim met Ann Zimmerer who was attending the Operating Room Technician Program at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lafayette in 1955. Jim and Ann were married on April 19, 1958, at St. Patrick's Church in Kokomo, IN. Jim served six years in the US Army Reserves. Jim and Ann started their marriage in Indianapolis, IN, for two years when Jim worked at the CAA Technical Development Center and continued on to New Jersey where Jim worked as a flight test engineer for 5 years at FAA's NAFEC facility testing various navigation and safety devices before spending the last several years as Chief Systems Engineer for the USAF at Wright-Patterson AFB working on a number of strategic aircraft and missile systems. Upon retiring from WPAFB, Jim worked as a consultant in Washington DC for the Department of Defense participating in various studies as well as providing technical support to the Department of Justice on a lawsuit regarding an aircraft development. He is survived by his wife, Ann, and three children, 3 grandsons, 2 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, son Jim Jr., his wife Mary of Huntsville, AL, and their son Jimmy and his wife Kim and their children Jackson and Natalie of Madison, AL, son Jay and his wife Amy and their sons Jacob and Jared of Amelia, OH, and Jim and Ann's daughter Julia of New Albany, OH. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his three brothers and two sisters. Jim loved Ann, their children, grandsons, and great-grandchildren. Jim enjoyed traveling throughout the US with the family and later in life he and Ann vacationed on Beaver Island, MI, enjoying fishing and visiting with the friends they made over 30 plus years on those vacations. Jim was especially interested in genealogy, researching his and Ann's families back to the 1700's. He was very active in tracing the ancestry of the residents of Beaver Island providing family trees including 20,000 individuals in support of the Beaver Island Historical Society. In addition to genealogy his pastimes included monthly poker games and occasional trips to Lafayette for Purdue football and basketball games. Jim's cremains will be buried at David's Cemetery in Kettering, Ohio, at a later date. There is no memorial service scheduled at this time. Donations can be made to Hospice of Dayton 324 Wilmington Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45420 or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to www.tobiasfuneralhome.com.