James Maddox

James Alford Maddox
January 1, 1922 – July 18, 2015

James “Jim” Alford Maddox passed away Saturday, July 18, 2015 at Providence Hospice Place. Services will be held Friday, July 24 at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church at 10 a.m. The Rev. Ben B. Maddison will be officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Bosqueville Cemetery, Bosqueville. There will be no visitation.

Jim was born January 1, 1922 in China Spring, Texas to James Madison Maddox and Grace Laferney Maddox. He attended Bosqueville schools and graduated from South Bosque High School, playing football and softball. After graduation he worked for the National Youth Administration. He then attended Fryes Aircraft School in Dallas and worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

After Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Mineral Wells and Blackland Air Force Base, earning a medal for sharpshooting.

He finished his training in Air Craft School at Kelly Air Force Base, earning corporal stripes. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean with his fellow soldiers on the Queen Elizabeth. From there he traveled to Freckleton, Lancashire, UK where he was stationed at Base Camp Depot #1. There Jim was an aircraft mechanic working on instruments to refit planes enabling them to fly across the English Channel with larger fuel capacity and weaponry.

While in Lancashire he met his future bride, Iris Swales. They became engaged and Iris rejoined Jim in Waco in 1947 where they married. Jim worked at Cameron Mills, sold insurance and ultimately made a career in home improvement, at which he worked until he retired.

Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and gardening. He and Iris traveled a great deal after their retirements, especially to Port Aransas and the American West. He loved reading western books, especially Louis L’Amour. Any movie starring John Wayne was a must watch. Jim and Iris were long-time members of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church of Waco

Jim was predeceased by his wife, Iris, parents James Madison and Grace Maddox, sisters Afton Maddox Walker, Shirley Maddox Girard and nephew Brian Littleton.

Survivors include daughters Candace Maddox Banning of Woodway, Susan Maddox VanVoorhis of Pine Bush, New York and Rosemary Maddox Bradford and husband Jim Bradford of Forney, Texas: sisters Ruth Balega of Detroit Lakes, MN and Billie Moore of Fort Worth; grandchildren Melissa Muise and husband Jim, Joe VanVoorhis and wife Nicole, Elizabeth Banning, Megan Banning Flores and husband Jaime, Adam Bradford and Adrienne Bradford. His great-grandchildren are Grace and Jonathan VanVoorhis and Liam, Ava and Joe Muise. He has many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff at Providence Hospice for making his last journey a loving one with their care of Jim and support for the family.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church, Waco and Providence Hospice Place, Waco.