General George James EADE

EADE, General George James 1921 - 2018 One of Jim Eade's earliest memories was of his father in tears as he stood in the doorway and watched the dust choking their small family farm. Born to Isabel T Barnd and George W Eade, Jim's early years found his hard working family enduring the years of the Great Depression, eventually settling near Chicago. It was while living there and attending University that the attack on Pearl Harbor propelled Jim into the Second World War in 1942 when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Thus began an amazing saga of discipline, hard work, adventure, and accomplishment. His World War II assignments took him to North Africa and the European Theater, where he saw many combat missions. Even after suffering serious injuries sustained in combat, Eade rejoined the effort eventually completing 37 combat missions. He found himself in Paris at the end of the war where he met a young Swiss girl, Colette, whom he courted and married. The young couple left Europe for the United States, where they pursued the life of a career Air Force family. While raising five children, Eade rose to the top of his profession. His dedication to professional excellence earned him the admiration of his colleagues as they faced the ominous perils of the "Cold War". When he finally retired after 33 years of service, he served in the position of Deputy Commander In Chief of the U.S. Forces in Europe with the rank of General of the USAF. "He flew the airplanes they asked him to fly and flew them where he was asked to go with skill and courage. He was a comrade of pure integrity who could always find a bit of humor under stressful situations."(Harry Goldsworthy) But Jim Eade was also a family man. He taught his children to ride horses, water ski, sail and windsurf. He loved the great outdoors and the birds and plants that inhabited it. Besides his passion for flying, Jim was an avid golfer, and he loved sailing, windsurfing, cigars, martinis and good wine. After retirement, Jim and Colette settled in Healdsburg California and grew to love the area. Jim remained interested and involved in military affairs. He worked diligently to obtain awards for fellow World War II pilots who had gone unrecognized, and was a generous donor to charitable causes. His beloved Colette passed away in 1994 after 48 years of marriage. Jim is survived by his five loving children, George, Helen, Anne, Christine and Dominique, his sister Helen, and his wife Jackie.