James Wilmer Wadlow Jr.

Waterford - James Wilmer Wadlow Jr., 85, of 129 Oswegatchie Rd., died Sunday, April 26, 2009, at his home in Waterford.

He was born on Friday, July 13, 1923, in North Edgecomb, Maine. He was the son of the late James W. Wadlow and Frances Millet Dunphe Wadlow. He was married to Margaret Diana Heatley on July 10, 1954, in the Little Church Around the Corner, in Manhattan, N.Y. At the time they married Margaret was an employee of the Pfizer Purchasing Department at Groton.

Mr. Wadlow was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, of Brooklyn, N.Y. and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, N.Y class of 1949.

He was a World War II veteran, serving first in Norden bombsight and automatic pilot maintenance for B-17s and B-29s in the Army Air Corps. After completing Medical Administrative O.C.S. in Carlisle Barracks, Pa., he served as Transport Surgeon on the troop transport S.S. New Bern Victory.

After graduation from Brooklyn Technical High School Mr. Wadlow worked for the Warner Instutute for Therapeutic Research in New York. After a short period he was hired by John McKeen then Asst Superintendent of Chas. Pfizer & Co. in Brooklyn where he attended B.P.I at night. He entered the army in 1943, returned to B.P.I in 1946, to complete his education. He then returned to Pfizer, in Brooklyn, transferred to Groton where he was a Chemical Engineer and Assistant Manager in the Antibiotic Recovery and Penicillin Recovery Departments, retiring in 1986 after 42 years.

He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, serving as Commander of the Groton Squadron, and the Eastern Connecticut Group. He was assigned to the Connecticut Wing, CAP. He was co-founder, and past president of the Thames Valley Flying Club and over the years gave many young people their first flying experiences.

He was Treasurer of the Republican Town Committee for ten years. He was appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals and was later elected and re-elected for eight four-year terms. He also served on a Charter Revision Committee in Waterford

He was president of the Oswegatchie Colony Association, the Waterford Civic Association and the Eastern Connecticut Chemists and Chemical Engineers Club.

Mr. Wadlow was a member of the First Church of Christ in New London, where he served as trustee, deacon, moderator, on a pastoral search committee, chairman of the parish house building committee and the churches 350th anniversary committee.

He traveled extensively with his wife.

In addition to his wife, two daughters, Joyce W. Finn of Waterford and Kathe W. Yost and husband, George P. Yost of Waterford; a son, James W. Wadlow, III of Waterford; three granddaughters, Gretchen Y. Lally and husband, Michael D. Lally, Jacquelyn M. Yost all of Waterford, Meghan C. Yost of Orlando, Fla. and great-grandson, Christopher M. Lally survive him. He is also survived by a loving friend, Georgina Kyeremah of Worchester, Mass.

There will be no calling hours. Memorial Service will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, at the First Congregational Church of New London, 66 Union St., New London. The burial to be held in North Edgecomb, Maine will be private.

Memorial donations may be made to First Congregational Church of New London Memorial Fund, 66 Union St., New London, CT 06320; the Edgecomb Congregational Church Memorial Fund, Cross Point Rd., Edgecomb, ME 04556; or the Macular Degeneration Foundation, Inc., P.O.Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053.

Byles Memorial Home, 99 Huntington St., New London is assisting the family with the arrangements. Please visit www.byles.com for the family's online registry.