Colonel James Merritt Sedberry, Jr.

James Merritt Sedberry, Jr. Obituary Colonel James Merritt Sedberry, Jr., U.S. Air Force retired, died at a McKinney hospital at 3:00 pm on February 9, 2002. He was 84 years old. Services will be at 1:00 pm Tuesday at First United Methodist Church, Waco. Reverend Stephen Ramsdell, Senior Pastor, and Reverend Robert Morgan, Associate Pastor, will conduct the service. Colonel Sedberry was born to James Merritt Sedberry, Sr., and Ruth Faye McWright Sedberry on January 22, 1918 in Waco, Texas. He grew up in Waco and graduated from Waco High School in 1935. After attending the University of Texas in Austin, he transferred to Texas A&M University attending from 1937-1940 when he was commissioned into the Army Air Corps. While in the service, he entered the University of Maryland in 1961 and received his degree in Business Administration in 1964. Entering the Army Air Corps in December 1940, Col. Sedberry served through the entirety of World War II attaining the rank of Major by 1944. Col. Sedberry entered the reserves in March 1946. From 1946 to 1948, while in the reserves, he owned and operated a crop-dusting business and pioneered the use of crop-dusters in planting rice. During this time, he also ran for the office of State Representative from the Beaumont area. In August 1948, the newly created U.S. Air Force recalled him to active duty sending him to the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Col. Sedberry served at various bases in the continental United States and in foreign postings in Japan, Germany and Spain. A command pilot, he was assigned to the Pentagon where he served three years on the Air Staff and an additional two years in the Joint Staff. He attained the rank of Colonel in 1968. After a tour at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, he retired in 1972. He was deeply proud of the 31 years, 9 months and 1 day that he spent in the Air Force serving his country. His service medals included the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Theater Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. He also received the National Defense Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service as the Primary Action Officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was also the holder of the USAF Missile Badge and Senior Command Pilot wings. Upon retirement, Col. Sedberry returned to Waco and over the last year lived in McKinney. In retirement, he traveled extensively. He was an avid fisherman who, in addition to his favorite local fishing spots, spent many summers salmon fishing at Telegraph Cove on the northern end of Vancouver Island, Canada. He also enjoyed hunting and golf. He held memberships in many Air Force organizations, as well as the Waco Senior Kiwanis Club, the First United Methodist Church of Waco and the Wesleyan Workers Sunday School Class. He married Velma Stoeltje on August 16, 1941 in Stockton, California. She died on January 27, 1992. In April 1994, he married T. Carol Barrett of Waco. He is survived by his wife T. Carol Barrett Sedberry; his son, James M. Sedberry, III, and his wife Sandra of Renton, Washington; two grandchildren, Scott Sedberry and his wife, Denise of Tacoma, Washington, and Cindi Sedberry of Houston, Texas. He has three great grandchildren, Katie and Sara Sedberry of Olympia, Washington and Chase Sedberry of Tacoma, Washington. He is also survived by his stepfamily: Roby C. Barrett and wife Cheryl of McKinney, Texas; Nancy Tidwell of Frisco, Texas; Tracy Barrett-Learn and her husband Michael Learn of Aix-en-Provence, France and Chesney Tidwell of Houston, Texas. He will be deeply missed by a host of friends from his years of military service and by other friends and family. Pallbearers are the members of the Wesleyan Workers Sunday School Class, First United Methodist Church, Waco and the Waco Senior Kiwanis Club of Waco.