James William "JW" Short

James William “JW” Short, 86, of Biloxi, MS passed away on Friday, February 17, 2023 in Biloxi.

JW was born in Hugo, OK on June 4, 1936 to Mark Short, Sr. and Eloise Harding Short. He was a servant leader in many ways, serving over 25 years in the United States Army, retiring as a Lt. Colonel; a more recent resident of Biloxi, JW and Rose lived over thirty years in Colorado Springs after having moved around from the East Coast to Texas and Colorado. During the last two decades they would frequently split their time between homes in the United States and the Philippines.

After having battled and survived Stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma, JW and his wife, Rose, continued his personal mission to provide free Bibles, translated into regional dialects, to remote villages of southern Mindanao in the Philippines.

JW majored in Theology, with a secondary degree in Psychology. He earned three Masters at Paris, Texas College and attained extensive training in military intelligence/counter-intelligence, law enforcement and security. He also achieved numerous military training and awards, including Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star, Overseas Service Bars and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

JW served for over 25 years of decorated military service as Active Duty and National Guard, serving multiple tours in Vietnam. Some of his duty stations included Fort Hood, TX, Fort Carson, CO, Fort Gordon, GA, Fort Benning, GA, Military District of Washington, Fort MacNair in Washington, D.C., Fort Myer, VA, the Pentagon and Kwajalein Missile Range in the Marshall Islands, to name a few.

He loved to travel the world with his beautiful wife, with whom he raised strong daughters while maintaining a wicked sense of humor, watching British Comedy and Foreign programs, playing and listening to music, was an aficionado of Duct Tape, specialty lighting and flashlights, hardware stores and tools and a  film buff of science fiction, westerns and English subtitled martial arts movies like “Bolo”. He was fond of and dedicated to his civilian uniform of cargo pants, belt with oversized belt buckle, shirts and vests with pockets, cowboy and black leather boots, many with metal taps.  His sense of humor resulted in his frequent and deliberate misuse of words, to the utter chagrin of family members and friends he loved to tease.  He loved and was also loved by numerous fur babies: Chopper, Cookie, Missy, Jeeves, Prince aka Fang, Storm, Buddy and Sasha to name a few.

JW was an extraordinary man of principled intelligence, patriotism and faith, who is and will always be loved and missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mark Short, Sr. and Eloise Harding Short; his siblings, Mark Short, Jr., Frisco W. Short and Martha Short; and his grandsons, Matthew Travis Bennett and Christopher David DeBattista.

JW’s survivors include his beloved wife, Rosalinda “Rose” P. Short; his children, Dominica Jane (Guy) Bennett and Sharon Short (Frank) Thompson; his niece, but also known as #3 daughter, Jemma Roseanne (Robert “Rob” Urquhart); his grandchildren, Guy David (Carol) Bennett, Michael Christopher (Christine) Bennett, Jennifer (Kevin) Crass, Gabriel Anthony Carducci, Tristan James (Sara) Thompson, Robert Urquhart III and Ryan Urquhart; and his great-grandchildren, Grace Bennett, Quinn, Blake and Dylan Bennett, Alexis Weier, Charlie Kay Crass and Gemma May Carducci. In addition to sisters-in-law, Susana LeNoble and Eliceria “Sally” Pingul and brother-in-law, Edmundo “Ed” Pingul, there are a great many family members, dear friends and colleagues here in the United States and abroad whose love, affection, companionship and friendship were gifts to our beloved patriarch.

In lieu of flowers, you may consider donating to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Biloxi, MS.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church on Monday, February 27, 2023 at 11:00 am. Friends may visit from 10:00 am until Mass time. Interment will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of James William “JW” Short.