James Joseph Harkins IV
– March 2, 2021
Sept. 5, 1935 - March 2, 2021
Jim Harkins, 85, of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The son of an Irish immigrant, born in Atlantic City, N.J., he joined the US Air Force in 1954, dedicating 20 years of service to national defense assignments. In that role he served as an expert in Aerospace Control and Warning Systems with a final assignment as German-American liaison to civilian and various military intelligence agencies in the Fulda Gap under the aegis of the US/EURO 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. During his last assignment in Fulda, Germany, he met the love of his life, Christa, and remained in Germany for 26 years. After the military, he joined 3M company and retired as European manager, Military Engineer Markets and SHAPE/NATO relations.
Jim and Christa moved to Sun City Center, Fla., in 1994, where he served the community in various positions: Community Association director, Hillsborough History Review Board, Tampa Bay History Center trustee, County Library Board, Elderly Affairs Advisory Council, 4th degree member Knights of Columbus, Florida State historian for the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) in America, and as representative of the AOH National Board in Ireland. Jim founded the Florida Catholic Heritage Trail and the Southshore Roundtable. He was a guest lecturer on Irish history at USF and authored a book on Irish Medieval history. He was a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center; Caloosa Country Club; United German American Society of Florida and Fuldaer Karneval- Gesellschaft (FKG). He is preceded in death by his wife, Christa Martha Thuenken; and survived by his sons, James J. Harkins V and Rene Erich Harkins; his daughter, Gail Youngman; brother, Peter Harkins; sister, Nancy Harkins Cahill; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, March 12, 2021, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cancer Research Institute at https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/James-Harkins or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at http://support.pancan.org/goto/James-Harkins.
Jim Harkins, 85, of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The son of an Irish immigrant, born in Atlantic City, N.J., he joined the US Air Force in 1954, dedicating 20 years of service to national defense assignments. In that role he served as an expert in Aerospace Control and Warning Systems with a final assignment as German-American liaison to civilian and various military intelligence agencies in the Fulda Gap under the aegis of the US/EURO 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. During his last assignment in Fulda, Germany, he met the love of his life, Christa, and remained in Germany for 26 years. After the military, he joined 3M company and retired as European manager, Military Engineer Markets and SHAPE/NATO relations.
Jim and Christa moved to Sun City Center, Fla., in 1994, where he served the community in various positions: Community Association director, Hillsborough History Review Board, Tampa Bay History Center trustee, County Library Board, Elderly Affairs Advisory Council, 4th degree member Knights of Columbus, Florida State historian for the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) in America, and as representative of the AOH National Board in Ireland. Jim founded the Florida Catholic Heritage Trail and the Southshore Roundtable. He was a guest lecturer on Irish history at USF and authored a book on Irish Medieval history. He was a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center; Caloosa Country Club; United German American Society of Florida and Fuldaer Karneval- Gesellschaft (FKG). He is preceded in death by his wife, Christa Martha Thuenken; and survived by his sons, James J. Harkins V and Rene Erich Harkins; his daughter, Gail Youngman; brother, Peter Harkins; sister, Nancy Harkins Cahill; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, March 12, 2021, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cancer Research Institute at https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/James-Harkins or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at http://support.pancan.org/goto/James-Harkins.