Colonel James P. Wootten USA Retired

James Patrick Wootten, born on July 6, 1929, to Michael J. Wootten and Catherine E. (née McManus) Wootten in Upper Darby, just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully at the age of 94 at The Fairfax Retirement Facility near Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, on Friday evening.
Growing up, Jim attended St. Thomas More High School (Class of 1947) in Philadelphia and later pursued studies at the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary (1950). However, his path took a turn when he enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict in 1951. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Ordnance Corps in 1952, he was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant in May 1954. It was during this time that he met his beloved wife, Anita P. Mitchell, in Europe. Both were serving overseas-Jim in the Army and Anita as a USO Events Coordinator. They married in Riverside, California, on February 24, 1957.
Colonel Wootten's distinguished 25-year military career spanned duty stations across the Continental United States, Europe, and the Far East. His overseas tours included Beirut, Lebanon (where he and his young family were evacuated during the 1967 Six-Day War), Germany, Korea, and Vietnam. Stateside, he served at Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, Fort Ord in California, Command & General Staff College in Leavenworth, Kansas, the Foreign Language Institute in Monterey, California, and the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama. Notably, during his tour in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, LTC Wootten held the position of Battalion Commander for the 86th Maintenance Battalion.
Returning to the United States for Pentagon tours with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he achieved the rank of full Colonel in September 1973. COL Wootten retired from the Army on January 31, 1977, choosing McLean in Northern Virginia as his permanent residence. There, he enjoyed spending time with his sons as they completed their education and embarked on their own paths..
Following his military retirement, Jim Wootten continued to contribute to his community. He worked for the Library of Congress for 17 years as a Senior Middle East Expert. When his duties permitted, James Wootten completed the course requirements for his Doctorate in International Relations at American University. Jim retired from public service in May 1995.
Throughout his life, Jim was an avid athlete and sportsman, enjoying tennis, golf, and skiing, as well as hunting and fishing with his boys. In his younger days, James was a three-sport letterman in high school and a lifeguard on the Jersey Shore. Even into his 80s, he could still be seen walking 9 holes of golf or skiing at his mountain house at Wintergreen Resort. In his 90s, he loved watching college football, particularly Notre Dame and Penn State, with his sons and grandkids.
Preceded in death by his two sisters Margaret Kazanjian and Mercedes Boudwin Lynch and by his wife Anita and son Michael Joseph Wootten, Jim is survived by two sons: Mark Allen Wootten, CAPT USN Ret. (Holly Wootten) and Thomas Mitchell Wootten (Masuda Mohammadi), daughter-in-law Shereen Wootten, and four adult grandchildren, Brittany, Eric (Angie), Mitchell (Emily), and Cory, as well as many nieces and nephews in the Philadelphia area.
COL Wootten will be laid to rest beside his wife at Arlington National Cemetery. May his legacy of service, love for family, and unwavering commitment to duty continue to inspire us all.