James Jones “Big Jim” Kimball – Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy

James Jones “Big Jim” Kimball, 79, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer who spent 27 years at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington before retiring in 1987 as a landscape foreman, died of cancer November 10, 2000, at his home in Fort Washington,Maryland.

Mr. Kimball, a native of Woodbridge, New Jersey., was in the Navy for 20 years before retiring about 1960. His final active-duty assignment was as a flight engineer at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. During World War II, he served in the Pacific and in 1944 won the U.S. Navy Central Pacific heavyweight boxing championship.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Ruth Heffernan Kimball of Fort Washington; four daughters, Karen August of Severna Park, Elizabeth Selzer of Seattle and Susan Lumpkin and Maryellen Anderson, both of Alexandria; a sister; and three grandchildren.

KIMBALL, JAMES J.

On Friday, November 10, 2000, beloved husband of Ruth M. Kimball; father of Susan Lumpkin, Karen August, Maryellen Anderson and Elizabeth Selzer. He is also survived by three loving grandchildren. Friends may call at the GEORGE P. KALAS FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 6160 Oxon Hill Rd., Oxon Hill, MD, on Sunday, November 26, 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, November 27, 2000, at 9:45 a.m. from Fort Myer Chapel. Interment Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard