James Francis Wayne Lounsbury, Age 73 passed away Thursday, September 14, 2017 after a yearlong battle with cancer at home with family at his bedside. He was the son of the late James William Lounsbury of North Pownal, VT and Priscilla Howe Lounsbury Schnopp and stepfather, Guy Schnopp of Dalton, Mass. He was a member of the Mars Hill United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Janice Coates Lounsbury; son, James Philip “Jamie” Lounsbury (Stephanie) and grandchildren: Brenna, Caden and Charlotte Lounsbury of Marshall, NC. One of the highlights of his days was fishing with his grandchildren at the family pond or watching them play baseball or softball. He is also survived by brothers; William “Bill” Lounsbury of Pownal, VT; Gary Schnopp (Sharon) and Peter Schnopp (Rose) of Pittsfield, Mass.; and Lawrence “Buzz” Schnopp (Companion Bonnie Hover) of Dalton, Mass.
James was a 1961 graduate of Dalton High School, Dalton, Mass. He attended Berskire College, Pittsfield, Mass. and Paul Smith Forestry College in Paul Smith, NY. A graduate of the US Navy Hospital Corps School and was affiliated with US Marine Corps. In 1967, he was deployed from Camp Lejeune, NC with the H&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, 3rd Marine Division to Vietnam. He participated in combat operations against Insurgent Communist Forces in the defense of the Khe Sanh TACR, Republic of Vietnam and the Tet Offensive in 1968 which was the turning point in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Vietnam); National Defense Service Medal; Vietnamese Campaign Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Vietnam Service Medal and Purple Heart for injury in combat.
He was 1972 Graduate of the US Border Patrol Academy in Port Isabel, Texas, and was stationed at the Harlingen, Texas Border Patrol Station. He served as an INS Criminal Investigator in Cincinnati, Ohio; a Border Agent on the Canadian Border in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; served in the Dept. of Justice, INS policy division in Washington, DC; Served as the Assistant Officer in Charge of the INS office in Charlotte, NC, and as the Deputy District Director of the Southeast Region INS Division in Atlanta, GA.
In 1987, he moved with his family to the Grapevine Community of Marshall, NC where he worked for the US Postal Service as a rural carrier affiliated with the Marshall Post Office until his retirement at the age of fifty-five. He was instrumental in establishing the Madison County High School soccer team for boys and girls. In 1993, his girls team won the State Champion Women’s Soccer Pepsi-Cola Scholar Athlete Award.
He was the owner/operator of Corner’s Knob Christmas Tree Farm in Madison County. He also worked for the security department at the Biltmore Estate until his second retirement. He enjoyed growing acres of vegetables for the local farmers markets in Mars Hill and Marshall and sharing samples from his crops with friends and neighbors until his declining health.
The family would like to thank Dr. Don Jackson and his staff at the Asheville Hematology & Oncology practice in Weaverville, NC and the Madison County Home Health and Hospice staff for all their special care during his illness.
The family will receive friends 3:00 – 5:00pm Sunday, September 17, 2017 to Celebrate Jim’s Life at Robbie Capps Memorial Chapel of Blue Ridge Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Hospice of Madison County, 590 Medical Park Drive, Marshall, NC 28753 or flowers are welcome.
Online condolences may be sent to www.blueridgefuneralservice.org

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