James Raymond Timms

In Loving Memory: James Rayferd Timms; born December 24, 1946; died May 4, 2020. Born to his parents James Raymond Timms and Annie Mae Timms on Christmas Eve 1946, James Rayferd Timms grew up in Bonner Springs Kansas. Known as Jim to all his family and friends, he graduated from Bonner Springs High School in 1963. In 1964 Jim voluntarily enlisted into the United States Air Force in which he trained and served in Air Force police and security working in armed patrols and security checkpoints. He first served overseas in West Berlin during the Cold War, but soon thereafter he volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Arriving in country in late 1967, Jim endured the Tet Offensive beginning in early 1968 providing security and reinforcing defensive positions at the Tan Son Nhat Air Base. Jim returned to his hometown in Kansas after receiving an honorable discharge from the Air Force only to soon thereafter enlist in the US Navy as a Gunner’s Mate. The Navy is where Jim would pursue his military career by eventually promoting to a Chief Gunner’s Mate and then further promoting to a Chief Warrant Officer 3, serving as a technical specialist and leader in naval weapons systems. Jim saw sea duty onboard the Navy warships USS St. Paul, USS David R. Ray, USS Texas and the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. While onboard the USS St. Paul Jim served again in the Vietnam War as the St. Paul patrolled the coast of Vietnam and provided Naval gunfire support for US and South Vietnamese Armed Forces. He also served in various shore duty assignments in exotic locales like Subic Bay, The Philippines as well as recruiting duty in his home state of Kansas, and duty in Norfolk Virginia, Bremerton Washington, and Oahu Hawaii. While assigned to duty in The Philippines, Jim met his wife Gloria and they were wed on July 9, 1971. Jim and Gloria’s marriage saw the birth of three children; one daughter and two sons. During much of Jim’s Navy career the family traveled with Jim around the country as he changed duty stations and assignments. Jim’s final duty station was at NAS Barbers Point in Oahu Hawaii where he served as Assistant Weapons Officer at the air base until retiring in August 1989. After his retirement from the US Navy, Jim worked for CACI performing a variety of logistical, technical and classified work contracted to the US military and to the Federal Government. In the later years of his life, Jim and his wife Gloria spent most of their time in retirement in The Philippines living in Gloria’s family home interacting with and supporting extended family there. Jim and Gloria recently re-located stateside to Temecula California. Jim passed away unexpectedly in the early morning hours of May 4, 2020 in the presence of his wife Gloria and his granddaughter Justine. Jim is survived by his wife Gloria; his daughter Vicky Reiss; his two sons Allen Timms and James Timms Jr.; his sister Edith Ransberg; six grandchildren, Justine Reiss, Austin Reiss, Benjamin Timms, Mariam Timms, James Timms III, and Alexandra Timms. A private cremation is to be held followed by final internment and memorial at Miramar National Cemetery planned for Summer 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown is lifted.