James R. Earl

LEESBURG, FL: It is with deep regret that the family of James R. Earl announces his death by cancer on November 12, 2017, in the Hospice Center of the Orlando Physicians Memorial Hospital in Orlando, Florida. Jim, son of Bertha and Arthur Earl, was born and raised in Newark, Ohio, and is survived by his loving wife, Jessica; his son and daughter-in-law Jim and Kristi Earl and his grandsons Rylan and Hayden; sisters Penny Lauer and her husband, Robert; and Deborah Hughes and her husband, John.

Jim served two deployments with the Navy: in Okinawa as a medical corpsman and in Vietnam in a specialized Marine recon unit. He was awarded two Purple Hearts, the National Defense Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam and Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Award. Following his career in the Armed Services, he returned to Newark and joined the Mid-Con Petroleum company, which he successfully directed when his father passed away. He retired in 2010.

Jim and his wife Jessica moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, in 2010 and to Leesburg, Florida, in 2013.

A full military service will be held in Jim's honor for his immediate family at the Florida National Military Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida, followed by a final Celebration of Life and Marine honors ceremony for his extended family and many friends at the Fairfax Hall in the Arlington Ridge community of Leesburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for contributions in his name to the Crohn's Colitis Foundation, National Processing Center, PO Box 1245, Alberta Lea, Minnesota 56007-9976.