James N. Methven Jr.

Methven, James N. Jr.
Feb. 25, 1918 - April 5, 2009

James Nairn Methven passed away peacefully April 5, 2009, at the age of 91.
He was surrounded by his wife, Rubye Rae, and his loving family, who treasure the memories and recount his remarkable life.
He moved to Venice in 1980 from Pennsylvania. He retired in 1982 as chief engineer and senior vice-president of M&T Co. Consulting Engineers, a division of CDI Corporation, in Philadelphia. He initiated the following design and engineering efforts on behalf of the U.S. Navy: aircraft nose-tow, aircraft ejection seat, aircraft recovery and launch gear, aircraft emergency recovery and the Polaris launch and global positioning system, in addition to aircraft carrier catapult, arresting gear, barricade recovery fences and jet blast deflectors against aircraft to recovery.
He supervised and instituted logistical support, maintenance and operation of ground support equipment for embarked and land-based Navy aircraft for the Naval Aircraft Engineering Center in Philadelphia. He held career positions as draftsman and stress analyst with General Steel Castings (1936-42 and 1946-51) in Essington Pa., and stress analyst with Houdry Chemical, Sun Oil Refining, in Marcus Hook, Pa. (1951-57).
He earned a private pilot license and certification in 1940 from CAA in Abbotsford, N.J., and FAA commercial certificate in 1947 in Newscastle, Del.
He served as both an instructor and trainer for test and combat pilots with the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Southwest Pacific, 5th Air Force, during World War II; along with active reserve duty during Korea and Vietnam conflicts as both an instructor and in line engineering of aircraft maintenance, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel with 36 years of service.
Jim continued his lifelong personal interest in flying well into his 50s.
During his years in Venice, he held memberships with the Venice American Legion Post #254 and Englewood Elks Lodge No. 2378; as a lifetime member of Venice Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8118; and was in the Venice Taxpayers League.
He was born in New Brunswick, N.J., on Feb. 25, 1918, the son of James Nairn Methven Sr. (1889-1966) of Grangemouth, Scotland, U.K., and Loretta Catharine Mitchell (1892-1977) of New Brunswick, N.J.
He graduated in 1936 from Ridley Park High School in Ridley Park, Pa. He received a mechanical engineering degree from Temple University in 1942 and also attended Drexel University.
James is predeceased by his brothers Thomas and John, and survived by his wife of 62 years Rubye Rae Kephart Methven of Prospect Park, Pa.; their two children, James Nairn Methven III of Wayne, Pa., and his wife Sandy, and daughter Karen Kissane of St. Albans Bay, Vt., and her husband Ted; grandchildren Christopher and Carrie Methven and Lynsey and Courtney Kissane; and two great-grandchildren, Kelsey and Connor Methven.
A memorial service is planned at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 16, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 508 Riviera St., Venice. Internment at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors is scheduled for June 2009. The Methven family is immensely grateful for the compassion, integrity, respect and professionalism of Venice Regional Hospital and TideWell Hospice House of Venice.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, please send donations to: TideWell Hospice House, Venice.