James Thomas McCartney, Jr., a longtime resident of Albany, formerly of Tifton, passed away Sunday, January 11, 2004, at Phoebe-Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. His funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 14, 2004, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Dr. W. Ches Smith, III officiating. Mr. McCartney was laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Mr. McCartney's nephews served as pallbearers.
Born August 30, 1917, in Tift County, Mr. McCartney was the son of the late Dr. James Thomas McCartney, Sr. and Kate Wright McCartney. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the Army Air Corps as an operations officer and B-17 pilot in Europe. He flew numerous missions and was the recipient of both the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal for combat service.
Upon returning to the United States, Mr. McCartney served as a pilot instructor for several years, attaining the rank of major before leaving the service. He was retired from Tull Equipment Corporation, where he had served for several years as a sales representative. He also had been active in real estate in the Albany area.
Mr. McCartney is survived by his wife of 49 years, Margaret L. McLendon McCartney of Albany; one son and daughter-in-law, James Thomas III and Irene Smith McCartney of Conroe, Texas; one brother, Nicholas Wright McCartney of Tifton; one sister, Mirian McCartney Cauthen of Tifton; a brother-in-law, Lloyd Duke, Jr. of Adel; two grandfathers and their husbands, Margaret Ann "Maggie" McCartney and Katherine Irene and Thomas Lamar, all of Conroe, Texas; three nieces, Ellen Cauthen Goddard, Carol McCartney and Mary McCartney; and nephews, Wright McCartney, Jr., Bill Cauthen and several others.