Jess H. Wade, 91, a long- time resident of Holly Hill, Florida, passed away on Ju- ly 31, 2016 at Bridgeview Center in Ormond Beach. Jess was born in Glancy, Mississippi on November 13, 1924 to Lola Mable (nee Blackmon) and Robert Wade, the seventh of their seven children. He earned his high school degree, then enlisted in the Navy just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, serving in the Aleutian Islands until
the end of World War II. Returning to civilian life, he enrolled at Millsaps College in Jack- son, Mississippi, where he met and married Patricia Reed, his wife of 65 years. Jess gradu- ated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and briefly worked as a teacher, coach and principal, before beginning a career with Gen- eral Electric. In 1950, a son Jeff was born, and in 1953, another son, Reed. His longed for daughter, Elizabeth (Missy), arrived in 1963. In 1954, the family moved to Syracuse, NY for a short period, after which Jess was transfer- red by GE to Metz, France, where he calibrat- ed radar systems throughout Europe on con- tract for NATO and taught at several training facilities. In 1957, he moved with his family to London in order to fulfill additional job- related teaching responsibilities. In 1958, the family returned to the U.S., first to Syracuse, then to Gulfport, MS, settling in Clearwater, FL in 1960, where Jess began a long associa- tion with projects related to the U.S. space program and national defense. In 1965, one last job-related move took him and the family to Holly Hill, which remained his home until his death. He retired from GE in 1986. From an early age, Jess was an accomplished ath- lete, eventually lettering in football, basket- ball, track and baseball while attending Millsaps. For a time, he was also an avid ten- nis player and league bowler. He played his first round of golf at age 12, sparking a lifelong love for the game, taking him to courses all over the U.S. and Europe, and bringing him lo- cal fame in many company tournaments. He was a member first of Riviera Country Club, moving to Daytona Beach Country Club, then

returning to "The Riv," where he remained a member until his death. He "shot his age" on several occasions and played well into his last year of life. Jess was a deeply loyal, devoted husband and father, who provided a steady, supporting hand to everyone in the family. His wife, Patricia Reed Wade, died in 2012 at age 85. He is survived by his children, Jeff Wade of Gainesville, FL, Reed Wade of New Smyrna Beach, FL and Elizabeth St. Clair (Missy) Wade of Holly Hill, FL. A memorial service will take place at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at Dale Woodward Funeral Home, 167 Ridgewood Ave., Holly Hill. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Vitas Healthcare. Condolences
may be shared with the family www.dalewoodwardfuneralhomes.com
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