Obituary of James Corbitt Hyde

James C. “Jim” Hyde Jr., who had successful careers in the military and in business in California’s Central Valley, died January 27, 2016 in Lacey, Washington from the complications of a fall. He was 94 and had relocated from the Fresno area in 1996 with his wife, Inez, to be near their family. Early in a 20-plus-year career with the United States Air Force, the couple met a chaplain who had a profound, lasting influence on them as Christian believers. Wherever life took the Hydes and their three daughters, becoming active members of a New Testament church was a priority, and they became members of Paramount Christian Church after moving to Washington. Born in the northern Alabama town of Haleyville, Hyde enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps two years after his high school graduation. While assigned to Hammer Field in Fresno in 1942, he met and married Inez Nyberg. Trained as an aircraft mechanic, he was sent four months later to Europe and then to north Africa, serving in that campaign for about a year. He went on to north China with the 14th Air Force unit commanded by Lieutenant General Claire Chennault, and Hyde survived repeated Japanese bombing raids on his remote postings. He returned to Fresno in 1945 and was discharged but subsequently re-enlisted as a tech sergeant after the war ended. During the post-war and Cold War eras, he served at bases in the United States and in France and retired in 1962 as a chief warrant officer. After returning to Fresno, Hyde worked in management at Sears Roebuck for about 10 years and then he and two partners started Pool Kingdom, an above-ground swimming pool store in Clovis. Hyde served for several years on the Clovis Planning Commission. Endowed with vision and determination, he became a licensed contractor and built several homes in the Fresno area and was liaison with the contractor who built Northside Christian Church in Fresno. Hyde often put his business acumen and knowledge in service by helping with church construction, as well as by serving as a church elder and on the board of San Jose Bible College and the Korean Gospel Mission. He particularly enjoyed teaching adult Sunday School classes and at the age of 93 was still leading a Bible study at the assisted living facility in Lacey where he lived. In addition to his wife, Hyde is survived by daughters Judy (Norm) Nielsen of Lacey; Janet McGovern of Redwood City, California; Joanne Conner of Renton; grandsons Jason Montgomery and Adam Conner of Washington; granddaughter Melissa Lemme of Arizona; seven great-grandchildren; and brother William Hyde, of Alabama. A Memorial Service is planned at Paramount Christian Church on Saturday February 27, 11 a.m. 3816 College St. SE Lacey, 98503, Contact: 878-3915 • In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be made in Hyde’s honor to Korea Christian Mission c/o Mike Schmidt, Treasurer PO BOX 9384 Fresno, CA 93792-9384 or to William Jessup University, 333 Sunset Blvd., San Jose, CA 95765.