James Lawrence Jefferis

Larry was born January 2, 1944, in Hutchinson, Kansas. As children often do, he moved around with his mom and dad to Goodwell, then Tulsa, and back to Goodwell when he was in the fifth grade. He graduated from Goodwell High School in 1962 and PAMC in 1966, when he also received his commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. While attending PAMC he worked at the college dairy for one year and was a chemistry lab assistant for a year or so. Freshman year he participated in the College Choral group and the men’s glee club, the Plainsmen. Larry played football for three years and lettered his senior year, and played baseball for four years.

After graduation and commissioning, Larry attended officer’s basic course at Fort Knox, Ky., before departing on a 22 year career that took him to army bases in Germany, Fort Riley, Kan., Fort Bragg, N.C., Vietnam, and Washington, D.C. While on active duty, he earned a master’s degree in electronics engineering from Iowa State University. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1988.

He married Vicky Lynn Wright, daughter of Don and Marge Wright, Medicine Lodge, Kansas, on December 27, 1970. Since retirement he has worked in the Information Technology industry and currently resides in Atlanta, Ga.