Brigadier General Jim Shufelt Obituary (2019)

Brigadier General (U.S. Army, Retired) Jim Shufelt, age 87, passed away on Friday, August 2, 2019, at the Retreat on Lady's Island, SC. Jim was born June 7, 1932, the son of Alonzo J. Shufelt and Adeline G. (Walker) Shufelt. He grew up in Baltimore, MD, and entered the Army in 1955 after graduating from Johns Hopkins University, where he excelled in ROTC training and was Captain of the varsity baseball team. He then spent 32 years proudly serving the Nation as an Army officer. During his military career he served in the United States and overseas, to include assignments in Germany, Vietnam, Belgium, and Turkey. He commanded a towed 8 inch howitzer battery, a self-propelled 155mm howitzer battalion, and a military intelligence field station. He attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS and the Naval War College at Newport, RI. He also served in key staff assignments working directly for the Secretary of the Army and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. In 1982 Jim was promoted to Brigadier General and served in senior leadership positions with the Army Intelligence and Security Command, the Army Staff, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. Jim's military service was recognized with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, four Legion of Merit awards and the Bronze Star Medal. When Jim retired from the Army in 1988, he was personally commended by President Ronald Reagan for his role in the Department of Defense Intelligence Community's support for Vietnam War POW/MIA recovery efforts. The President's letter stated: "The Nation owes you a debt of gratitude for your long service and conscientious pursuit of this issue of such great concern to the American people." After retiring from the military, Jim began his second career, serving for 10 years as President of the Snack Food Association in Alexandria, VA. In 2001, Jim and his wife Charlene moved into their new home in Beaufort, SC. While in Beaufort, he remained active, serving on the Board of the Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake, NY, and spoke locally on national security and military issues. Jim received The Order of the Palmetto from Governor Mark Sanford for his service on the SC Governor's Task Force during the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. Jim was predeceased by his parents, Alonzo and Adeline Shufelt of Baltimore, MD. He is survived by his wife, Charlene Mettee Shufelt, formerly of Catonsville, MD; his former wife, Katherine Nix of Mechanicsburg, PA; his sister, Barbara Kapinus (Edward) of Suffolk, VA; his son and daughter, Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) Jim Shufelt Jr. (Janey) of Carlisle, PA, and Carlyn Wade (Andrea) of Santa Fe, NM; his two granddaughters, Sarah George (Phil) of Mechanicsburg, PA, and Lauren Shufelt of Chicago, IL; and his two great-grandsons, Carter and Henry George of Mechanicsburg, PA. Jim loved his family, his friends, his Yorkie puppies, the Nation, the Army, Navy ships, classic sailboats, military history books, nautical art, the Baltimore Orioles, the BALTIMORE Colts, tennis, good food, great wine, and fine Scotch whiskey. Much to his chagrin, he remained "technologically challenged" in the digital age. A funeral service with military honors will be held for Jim at 1:00 PM on Monday, 30 September 2019 at the Beaufort National Cemetery, in Beaufort, SC. To honor Jim's life, the family suggests that you make a donation to the National League of POW/MIA Families (www.pow-miafamilies) or Alzheimer's Family Services of Greater Beaufort (www.afsgb.org).