James E. Paschall

1923 - 2024

Jim was born in 1923 and grew up in LaGrange and Wilson, North Carolina. An ambitious young man, he worked his way to Eagle Scout, and then entered and excelled at West Point. Upon graduation, he married his childhood love, Lelia Atkinson of Greensboro, NC. He served 31 years in the U.S. Air Force in a sequence of positions and advancing rank - a pilot, an engineer with the development of the Minuteman rocket, and commander of several USAF bases. His last position as a Major General was as the Vice Commander of the AF Aerospace Defense Command - NORAD.

After retirement, he returned to Goldsboro NC, to be near kin and grow pine trees on the farmland where he had been born. In later years he and Lelia moved to Eugene, Oregon to be near their two daughters and grandchildren. They shared 76 years of love and marriage. After Lelia died in December, 2022, Jim continued to live independently , with the help of his daughters, to the age of 101. In May, his heart began to fail, leading to his death on June 17.

Jim always had a smile and a kind word for all he met. He will be greatly missed.

The family plans a private service.