James Howard Gill, 84, 345 Green Street South, Mendon, died at 4:56 p.m. May 8, 2009, at his residence.

He was born in Franklin, Ind., June 24, 1924, to Gary and Edna Pearl Tucker Gill. On June 17, 1948, he married Audrey Guyne, who survives.

Other survivors are two sons, James Gill, Spokane, Wash., and Robin Gill, Mendon; two daughters, Phyllis (Ed) Davis, Celina, and Yvonne (Greg) Kellogg, Bradford, N.Y.; a brother, Jack (Marietta) Gill, Salina, Kan.; a sister, Patty (Robert) Bowman, Indianapolis, Ind.; 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Deceased are four brothers, Paul, David, Ivan, and an infant; four sisters, Lois Mann, Fern Pevler, Mae Fowler and an infant, Mary.

He retired from the U.S. Navy as a civil servant on Aug. 10, 1974. He served in the Korean War in Sasebo, Japan, where he received a China Service Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Korean Service Medal with eight stars, and the United Nations Service and the Korean Presidential Citation Medal. He was employed as a cattle rancher in Cottonwood, Ariz., also at the former Fischer Cheese, Wapakoneta, and the St. Marys Fish Hatchery. He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the American Legion, Celina.

Private family services are at the family's convenience.

Lehman-Hogenkamp-Dzendzel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences can be left at LHDFuneralHOme.com.