Llyod James Eason, Jr.
Lloyd James “Jim” Eason Jr., Colonel U.S. Army retired, age 79, passed away at his home in the presence of his loving family on June 10, 2016 in McCall, Idaho, the place he loved best. Jim was born in Nampa, Idaho in l936 to Lloyd and Eula Eason. He attended high school in Weiser, graduated from Idaho State University Pharmacy School and earned an MBA from the University of Oregon. Jim married Verna who was from Portland, Oregon on June 16, 1962 in Lewiston, Idaho.
After college he entered the U.S. Army and was assigned to Alaska. In 1964, after a short break in service, his reserve unit was activated to be deployed to Vietnam. As a Company Commander, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Jim supervised the unit move. During this time in Vietnam, Jim was part of To Save A Soldier, a documentary concerning the front line triage of patients. It is still used as a military training film. In 1965 Jim served in Heidelberg, Germany followed by tours in Korea, San Antonio, Texas, Virginia, Alaska and Landstuhl, Germany. After graduating in 1979 from the Armed Forces Staff College, Jim, as a Colonel, assumed command of the 5th Medical Battalion, 5th Infantry Division in Fort Polk, Louisiana. After completing his seventh overseas assignment in Nuremberg, Germany as U.S. Army Hospital Deputy Commander for Administration, Jim returned to San Antonio, Texas as the Inspector General, Health Services Command. In 1989 Jim accepted the position of Deputy Commander for Administration, Brooke Medical Center until his retirement. Highly decorated, he served his country 30 years in the U.S. Army.
Following retirement, Jim accepted a contract with Arabian Medical in Saudi Arabia. After contract completion, Jim and Verna returned to the U.S.A. and moved to Biloxi, Mississippi where he was the southeast Executive Director under Humana for Tricare many years. Jim was involved in the formation and implementation of the Tricare and Express Scripts contracts of which benefits are still enjoyed.
Jim loved his family and he actively enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing, sailing, flying and wood carving during his lifetime. Fully retired and settling in PebbleCreek, Jim joined the PebbleCreek Wood Carving Club. He developed a passion for wood carving, bringing pride and joy in his accomplishments to his family. With a military interment, Jim was laid to rest in the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise, Idaho.