Page 76 - PGM Compendium

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of
M⸫W⸫ James R. Vannice

1991-1992

Most Worshipful Brother James Rodney “Jim” Vannice was born
July 16, 1922 to Merwin and Grace Vannice near Lewiston, Idaho.
For a time, the family lived near Clarkston, WA; the Willamette
Valley in Oregon; Reubens, ID; Clarkston, WA; and on to
Westport, Oregon, where Jim graduated from high school.

On July 9, 1941, Jim made a choice to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
Following boot camp in San Diego, he was assigned to NAS Sand
Point in Seattle. With the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor,
school was cut short and Jim was sent to NAS Kodiak, AK.

1944 saw new orders back to NAS Sand Point and then transferred
to NAAS Arlington, WA. While in Arlington, he met the love of his life, Ethel Robertson and four
months later they were married.

The next duty assignment was NAS Anacostia, near Washington D.C. and son James Jr. joined
the family. Jim had attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer and decided to leave the Navy in 1947.
The family settled at Lake McMurray, building their first home. Employment was very poor and
Jim soon came to the realization he needed to reenlist.
He was assigned to the last PBY (Catalina) squadron at NAS Whidbey. His next rotation was to
the P2V (Neptune) squadron, VP-4 and deployments to the Western Pacific. He then rotated to
VAH-2, a new squadron fleeting up with the new A3D (Skywarrior) aircraft. During this time,
daughter Jacqueline "Jackie" was born.

In 1956, Jim received notification he had been selected to be commissioned as an Ensign in the
Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program. He was assigned to NAS Whidbey and VAH-4, followed
by a tour on the Comfairwhidbey Staff as A3 Maintenance Officer. His next orders were to VAH-
123 as Maintenance Control Officer.

In 1966, Jim reported to Atsugi, Japan and in 1969, received his last assignment with Staff
Comfairwhidbey as the A-6 Maintenance Officer. On August 1, 1971, Jim retired from the Navy
with 30 years of service, a veteran of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War with the rank of
Commander (O- 5). Following retirement, Jim and Ethel set out on their first major civilian
adventure, commercial fishing off Neah Bay and LaPush, which lasted nine years.

The Masonic Fraternity became a very important part of Jim's Life. In 1953, he joined the Mt.
Baker Lodge No. 36, serving as Master in 1980. Jim was also a member of the Whidby Island
Lodge #14, Garfield Lodge #41, Kettle Falls Lodge #130, Hermanos del arte Lodge #314, Walter
F. Meier Lodge of Research #150, Grand Mound Historic Lodge #3, and Bannack Historic Lodge