JAMES LEON "JIM" SOUTH

James Leon "Jim" South, 86, of Daytona Beach FL, passed away July 13, 2013, in the Port Orange Hospice Care Center. He was a volunteer at the Hospice Care Center for over 15 years and often said "It is the best paying job I ever had." A memorial service will be held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 216 Orange Ave, Daytona Beach, FL at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 17. A reception will follow the service in the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Daytona Beach or Halifax Health Hospice of Volusia/Flagler Counties. Jim was born Oct. 8, 1926 in Fargo, ND to Leon Cornelius and Clara Elizabeth (Swanson) South. He graduated from Fargo Central High in 1944 then went into the Navy where he was trained in deciphering Morris Code. He was honorably discharged in the summer of 1946 and enrolled in The University of North Dakota where he was a member of the college hockey team. Jim transferred to the University of Colorado in 1948 in order to be near his sweetheart, Mary Jacobson. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science from University of Colorado, Jim went on to receive his Law Degree from the University of Denver. He was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1951 and the US Supreme Court in 1963. Rather than a career in law, Jim chose to join the FBI as a special agent. He was stationed in Gainesville, FL, Albany and Atlanta, GA;, and Newark, NJ. In 1963 he was recruited to work for the U.S. State Department in a newly developed role as Inspector of Foreign Assistance. There he worked for 13 years. During that time Jim was privileged to travel to many countries throughout the world. He had other interesting short term jobs. These include a year working as a trouble shooter for the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, assisting in developing the Inspector General's office of the U.S. Energy Department, serving as Senior Vice President for the First Federal Savings and Loan of Grand Forks and Grafton, ND for two years, and serving as Deputy Campaign Director for a Congressional campaign in San Francisco. Jim married his high school classmate, Mary Katherine Jacobson, on August 4, 1949 in Fargo, ND. Jim treasured Mary's companionship for their 58 years of marriage and greatly missed her company during the last 6 years since her passing in 2007. They enjoyed friends, family, traveling, tennis, golf, cruises and simple quiet times together. Jim's role as a family man was an important commitment to him throughout his adult life. He is survived by his two children, Elizabeth Ann "Betsy" Bentley and Terrence James "Terry" South; his three grandchildren, Sarah Frances Bentley, Brian Jacobson South, and Brett Cornell South and his two great-granddaughters, Michaela Anne South and Katie Virginia South. He is also survived by his son-in-law, Evans C. Bentley; daughter-in-law, Virginia "Ginger" South, and grand-daughter-in-law, Suzanne Michelle "Suzy" South. His family loves and misses him.