James Leland Scrabeck

The funeral for James “Jimmy” Scrabeck will be July 31st, 2019 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Jim Scrabeck of Parker, Colorado was an Air Force Veteran and an avionics engineer. He died Sunday, July 21st, 2019 at his home.

James Leland Scrabeck was born July 25th, 1949 in Harmony, Fillmore County, Minnesota, where he spent an idyllic childhood racing toads, stealing pea vines for snacks and wreaking delightful havoc in the small town.

In 1967, he entered the United States Air Force Academy where he majored in Computer Science. His skill on the Academy wrestling team allowed him to compete across the US. He became Co-Captain of the varsity wrestling team his senior year in what is considered one of the most successful years of the sport at the Academy. He graduated in 1971 and following graduation he served his country in Vietnam as a combat crew member on AC-119K gunships.  He then went on to become a C-130 Senior Navigator and was stationed at Pope AFB NC and Rhein Main AFB Germany. He also received a Masters of Science in Computer and Electrical Engineering from the University of Iowa.

On August 22nd, 1975 James married Janice Read in South Carolina.

His career in the Air Force, four of which were in foreign service, took the family all over the US and Europe. He then went on to work as an Avionics Engineer in Phoenix, Arizona and Everett, Washington, finally retiring in 2015 to Parker, Colorado.

He is survived by his wife, Janice Scrabeck, his children Jonathan Scrabeck, Justin Scrabeck, Courtney Scrabeck and Amanda Scrabeck; his sisters Jeanine Johnson and Jeanette Mayfield, along with his nine grandchildren, who were the lights of his life: Joshua Scrabeck, Nicolas Scrabeck, Madison Scrabeck, Zackary Scrabeck, Mikella Scrabeck, Grace Slavin, Maximillian Slavin, Hartwell Pollard and Beckett Pollard, the lights of his life, and his beloved dogs Ava and Beau.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Dumb Friends League of Denver, your local animal rescue or The Turner Syndrome Colorado.

    Services will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 1:00PM at the Memorial Pavilion at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  A reception will follow at the Officer's Club. 

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