James Tootle

ith his loving family by his side, Captain James Auburn Tootle passed away peacefully on January 29, 2019, a month shy of turning 99 years old.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Addie and Dewey Tootle; his sister, Margaret Tootle; his brother, Douglas (Mavis) Tootle; and his wife, Mildred Tootle.

He is survived by his sister, Lib (Rudy) Vallario; his daughters, Gerry Dayton, Carole (Steve) Taylor, and Jan (Richard) Salloum; his son, James Tootle; his grandsons, Blake (Claire) Taylor and Jordan (Kaitlyn) Salloum; his great granddaughters, Margot Taylor and Caroline Salloum; and his loving partner of 23 years, Marian Sinopoli.

Jim (whose given name was Auburn but changed to James/Jim simply because "he didn't like" it) was born and raised on a farm in Glennville, GA, on March 6, 1920. At barely 18 years old, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and began training at Paris Island, SC, and was soon transferred to Shanghai, China. Upon the start of World War II, his unit engaged in combat in the Philippine Islands, serving under General Douglas A. MacArthur. Thereafter, his unit was transferred to Corregidor and assigned to beach defense where he was wounded from enemy fire. They were ordered by MacArthur to destroy arms and surrender and were taken as prisoners of war and led on the Death March to Cabanatuan. A short time later, the survivors of the march were moved by hell ship to Japan, where they remained prisoners for 3 years. Upon his liberation, due greatly to the US dropping of the atomic bomb, he returned to the US. He did several tours with the Marine Corps including a year of combat during the Korean War with the 1st Marine Infantry Division. He received 18 medals, which included the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medal. After serving for over 20 years in the military, he and his family retired to Biloxi, MS, where he worked with the US Treasury Department until his civil retirement.

The Tootle family is particularly thankful to the wonderful and caring staff (usually referred to as Pumpkin by Captain Tootle) at the US Armed Forces Retirement Home and of Hospice Light of Mississippi.

The funeral service and military ceremony will be held on Monday, February 4, at 4:30 PM at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, with a visitation for family and friends from 3:30 PM until the service. Captain Tootle will be buried next to his parents in Glennville, GA.
Graveside Funeral Services will be held 10:00 AM, Thursday, February 7, 2019 at Glennville City Cemetery in Glennville, Georgia. Brannen Kennedy Funeral Home of Glennville is in charge of the arrangements