James Thomas Atchley Jr., 86, of Harrison died Sunday,
July 10 in Springfield, Missouri. J.T. was born August 23, 1924 at
Gaither, a son of James Thomas and Eva Mae Curnutt Atchley. A lifelong
resident of Boone County, he graduated from Valley Springs High School
and attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway (University of
Central Arkansas). During World War II. J.T. was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 101st
Airborne Division serving in France, Austria and Germany. At war's end,
he returned to Harrison and with his brothers, Ray and Elam Atchley, was
co-owner of Atchley Milling Company.
With a childhood nickname of "City" because he always
wanted to go the big city, J.T. was of a most warm and caring family
that considered education and serving others as family priorities.
J.T. was preceded in death by his parents; his
brothers Flem Atchley, Ray Atchley and Elam Atchley; and sisters Minnie
Atchley, Amo Redus, Mary Pearl Johnson, Lorene Atchley and Leota
Edwards. His sister Betty Malham resides in Cabot.
J.T. is survived by his wife of 61 years, Inis Mae
DePriest Atchley of the home and children Charlotte Quattlebaum of
Fayetteville; Tom Atchley and his wife Vicki of Little Rock; and Caralyn
Millsap and her husband Jim of Springfield, Missouri. He was "Papa" to
six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Family visitation will be at Roller-Christeson Funeral
Home at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday,
July 14 at Roller-Christeson with Rev. John Darnall officiating.
Internment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Jay Elton, Stormy Atchley, Will
Atchley, Brian Atchley, Chance Hollingsworth, and Gabe Hollingsworth.
The family requests memorials to be made to the First
United Methodist Church, 1100 W. Bower Avenue, Harrison, AR 72601. |
[courtesy of Dena Pence'
Grave
markers for James Thomas Atchley, Jr. in Maplewood Cemetery, Harrison
(Boone county), Arkansas. Cpl Atchley was transferred on 2
December 1945 to Headquarters 1st, 508th PIR from either the 504th PIR
or 505th PIR. The list of transferred personnel arriving on that
date were clumped together under that unusual "either/or" statement.
Whichever the case, his obituary stated that he had been in the 101st
Airborne and both the 504th and 505th were in the 82nd Airborne
Division, so he had at least two non-101st assignments. |