James Stanley Sills, 91, of Blairsville, GA passed away on Thursday January 12, 2017 at Union County Nursing Home following an extended illness.

Mr. Sills was born on January 4, 1926 in Temple Terrace, Fla to the late Vivian Walter & Marian Dickson Sills. James was a U.S. Navy Veteran having honorably served in WWII as boatswain’s mate from 1943 to 1947 on board USS Robinson (DE220), making six trans Atlantic crossings doing convoy duty or as a member of a killer group attacking submarines.  After the war, Jim obtained his pilot’s license and an aircraft mechanics license. Keorea.In 1951, he was recalled to service on board the USS Cascade, a destroyer tender. Following his discharge, he earned a Master’s License and began his 45-year career in Yachting. He landed his first skipper’s job in Maine in 1953. In 1963, he was hired to go to Holland to oversee the building of a 120-foot yacht, Intent, which he captained for the next fifteen years making another five trans Atlantic voyages, plus extensive cruising through the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and along the Eastern coast of the US. In subsequent years, he returned to Holland to build and skipper the 137-foot Bridlewood, and eventually took command of the 192-foot Motor Sailer The Other Woman, on which he made an additional six Atlantic crossings. Jim’s final command was aboard the 200-foot Altair which he sailed 9,000 miles from Perth (Australia) to Cannes in 1998. The following year, he and Fran retired to the North Georgia mountains, where Jim became a longtime member of the Butternut Creek Irregulars, a local group of (senior) tennis players. In his spare time, he was an avid reader. He enjoyed reading & tennis. In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by a granddaughter, Kandice Marie Sills.

Mr. Sills is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Fran Scanlon-Sills, of Blairsville, two sons and daughters in law, James A. & Elaine Sills of Niceville, Fla, and Kenneth R. & Diane Sills, of South Hampton, NH, one brother & sister in law, Dr. Arthur & Diane Sills of Laurel, MD, one granddaughter and her husband, Christine Elizabeth & Matt Arnold, and two great grandchildren, Spencer Arnold & Samantha Arnold. A host of other family & friends also survive.

Graveside Memorial services for Mr. Sills will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday January 16, 2017 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia, with Military detail. In lieu of flowers if you wish, memorial donations may be made to Paws for Veterans in James’ memory. Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairsville is in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the family guest book and send condolences to the family on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com