James Thomas Harvill Jr.

LTC (Ret.) James Thomas Harvill Jr. passed away in his Madison, Ala., home on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 25, 1958, he was the second child of Rev. J.T. Harvill and Catherine Marie Harvill, deceased. After enlisting in the United States Army in February of 1977, LTC Harvill received his commission as an Air Defense Officer from the Officer's Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, in September 1981. He was also stationed with the 101st Airborne Division Ft. Campbell, Ky. Throughout his 24-year career, he has held a wide variety of command and staff positions. Key assignments include Acting Project Manager for the Enhanced Fiber Optic Guided Missile, Deputy for Systems Acquisition, Air and Missile Command Executive Officer, Space and Strategic Defense Command, Huntsville, Alabama. LTC Harvill completed his Bachelor's of Science in Management from Park University, and a Master's of Business Administration from the University of Colorado in Boulder. LTC Harvill is survived by his father and step-mother, Rev. J.T. and GeorgeAnn Harvill, from Camden, Arkansas, two daughters, Olivia Harvill Waldrop and husband Thomas Lee Waldrop, Jr. of Birmingham, and Valerie Harvill of Huntsville; the mother of his two daughters, Wanda Ashcraft Harvill, from Birmingham; loved one, Rebecca Anne Smith, from Madison; two sisters, Mary Harvill Buie from Rison, Arkansas, and Annette Harvill Maxwell, from Atlanta, Georgia; step-sister, Jan Fletchinger, from Magnolia, Arkansas, and sixteen nephews and nieces. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. (www.laughlinservice.com). Visitation will be also be Tuesday, May 21st from 12 noon-2 p.m. at Buie Funeral Home in Rison, Ark. followed by a Full Military Honors graveside service at Greenwood Cemetery.