KETCHAM James (Jim) Bonbright

Notes:

JAMESTOWN - James B. Ketcham, 82, died Thursday, March 16, 2006, at home in Jamestown, RI.

He was the devoted husband of Ira D. (Davisson) Ketcham for 52 years.

Jim was born in New York City in 1924. He was the son of Jean (Long) and William Tredwell Ketcham. He was a direct descendant of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Jim was a graduate of Lawrence School, The Hill School, Yale University, Class of 1945 and attended Columbia University Medical School.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corp (United States Air Force) in 1943 and entered the medical corp. and was in charge of organizing small medical units designed to function as 24 bed hospitals. These units were then flown into action. On behalf of this work, Jim was a recipient of the Legion of Merit Award for the invention of the M*A*S*H unit (mobile auxiliary surgical hospital). At the time, he was the youngest person to be awarded this prestigious medal. As result he was promoted to Second Lieutenant. He remained in the Air Force Reserve and was recalled to active duty in 1950 during the Korean War and was promoted to First Lieutenant. In 1952, he was promoted to Air Force Captain and was released from his duties in June 1953 to pursue a career in business.

He was an administrator for Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center, Paul R. Ray and Company and Kollmorgen Corporation where he retired in 1990 after twelve years as Director of Human Resources. A long time resident of Lawrence New York, he retired to Jamestown in 1995.

Jim's life was one of service. He was both Junior and Senior Warden of Trinity-St. John's Church in Hewlett, New York. He was awarded the Bishop's Cross for his distinctive years of service to the Episcopal Church. He was active in the Republican Party in New York, working for F. Clifton White and running Ralph Edsell's campaign for the United States Congress in 1964. He was also the Republican Town Committee Member in Lawrence for over a decade. During his retirement, he served as the Treasurer of the Republican Town Committee in Jamestown. He was a member of the Holland Lodge, The Reading Room of Newport, the Conanicut Yacht Club, The Rockaway Hunting Club, Lawrence Beach Club and the Cedarhurst Yacht Club. He was a lover of both opera and classical music and was an avid reader and sports fan.

While at Yale University, he was one of the founders of the Nathan Hale Society and was a lifetime member. Jim was a devoted husband and father. Besides his wife, he is survived by his son, George Bonbright Ketcham of Newport, RI; daughters, Laurie Camden Ketcham of Jamestown; RI, Susan Ketcham Coffin of Manchester By the Sea, MA and Brucie Ketcham Donahue of Northfield, VT and his brother William Tredwell Ketcham, Jr. of New York City, NY and Lawrence, NY. In addition, he is survived by sons-in-law Lloyd H. Coffin, III and Thomas M. Donahue and daughter-in-law Mimi Ketcham; his grandchildren; Benjamin Bonbright Coffin, Sarah Camden Coffin, James Tredwell Donahue and Catherine Bruce Donahue.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2006, at St. Matthews Parish, 87 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown, RI. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Newport Hospital Foundation, 11 Friendship Street, Newport, RI 02840.
Funeral arrangements by the O'Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring Street, Newport, RI 02840.
Published: May 28, 2006

James married DAVISSON Ira Camden on 13 Jun 1953. Ira (daughter of DAVISSON George Izard and HART Mary Louise) was born on 27 May 1929 in Weston, Lewis Co., WV; died on 25 May 2006 in Jamestown, Newport Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. KETCHAM Susan
2. KETCHAM George Bonbright
3. KETCHAM Bruce
4. KETCHAM Laurie died on 18 Jun 2006 in Jamestown, Newport Co., RI.