K5ROV 1927 - 2013 James 'Jim' Parsons San Angelo, TX QCWA # 26128 Chapter 78 First Call: W1RLA in 1948 James "Jim" Parsons, 85, passed away on Monday, February 25, 2013. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Friday, March 1, 2013, at Lawnhaven Cemetery with Brother Toby Irwin of Belmore Baptist Church officiating. Jim led a long life filled with love and adventure. At 16, he joined the Merchant Marines where he spent three years making runs back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, and at 23, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. On May 31, 1952, he married Barbara Anne Bullock at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi, and they were stationed at military bases throughout the United States as well as Japan, Germany, and Greece before he retired in 1971. He earned his Ham radio operator license in his early teens, and his greatest interest was building his own equipment and operating Morse code. He was a proud member of ARMS Christian Fellowship Group (Amateur Radio Missionary Service) and the American Radio Relay League. He earned his private pilot's license in his 50's and enjoyed many hours flying his air coupe. He was preceded in death by his beloved grandson, Justin Callan. Jim is survived by his wife, Barbara Parsons; sons, James B. Parsons, and John Parsons and his wife, Gwen; daughter, Pam Callan; sons-in-law, Homer Stewart, and Tom Callan and his wife, Ronda; grandson, Bryce Parsons; granddaughter, Meredith Parsons; great-grandsons, Zachary and Kobe Callan; and great-granddaughter, Alexia Parsons-Ramirez; other relatives and many friends.