Franklin Kercheval Jr. James

James Franklin Kercheval Jr., 87, of Hagerstown, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, at Meritus Medical Center.

Born Nov. 16, 1923, in Waynesboro, Pa., he was the son of the late James Franklin and Jane (Craig) Kercheval.

James was a 1941 graduate of Waynesboro High School. He played football for the Waynesboro Tigers. He went on to attend Penn State University for more than two years.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Force. James was a navigator/bombardier for the Eighth Air Force in World War II, where he completed 35 missions and received a Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with four oak-leaf clusters and the Euro African Middle Eastern Medal with four battle stars. He had flown on B-17, B-24 and B-29 aircraft as a first lieutenant.

After the war, he joined the Waynesboro National Guard, where he was a captain in the Armored Field Artillery Assist S-3 and stationed for two years in Korea, where he received the Korean Service Medal.

He was a member of John Wesley United Methodist Church in Hagerstown.

James loved woodworking and fishing.

James retired as the director of engineering for Fairchild Industries.

Surviving him are his loving wife of 64 years, Alice Viola (Smith) Kercheval; three daughters, Nancy Bautro and husband, Noel, of Baltimore, Pamela Ebersole and husband, Roy, of Mercersburg, and Luanne Spiller and husband, Neil, of Silver Spring; a brother, William Kercheval and wife, Nancy, of Hagerstown; and eight grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Edward Kercheval; a sister, Emma Jane Grumbine; and a stepgrandson, Bradley Ebersole.

A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011, at Rest Haven Funeral Chapel, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave., Hagerstown, with the Rev. Richard Jewel officiating. Interment will follow in Rest Haven Cemetery.

Friends will be received one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.