Turner 'T.J.' Bazemore Jr.

Retired Air Force Charter Chief Master Sergeant Turner J. "T.J." Bazemore, 89, of Blytheville, died Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, at 10:05 a.m. at the NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.

Chief Bazemore was born in Aulander, N.C. on May 8, 1922. He was the eldest of four sons born to Turner F. Bazemore and Annie Sue Ward Bazemore, who preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his three brothers, Kelly Ray Bazemore, Riley Bazemore and Lonnie Bazemore.

Chief Bazemore is survived by his wife, Mrs. Beulah "Ellen" Chism Bazemore of the home;

One sister-in-law, Mrs. Louise Chism Beaver of Morris, Okla.; and

Two nephews, Richard Otis Beaver and his wife, Patty Beaver, of Minneapolis, Minn., and Tom Beaver of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Chief Bazemore had a long and distinguished military career which included serving in three wars and spanned more than 31 continuous years of service. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps Nov 6 ,1939, prior to the U.S. entry in World War II, and retired on April 1 1970.

On Sept. 18, 1947, the United States Army Air Corps became the United States Air Force, a separate and autonomous branch of the armed forces. On Dec. 1, 1959, after a rigorous selection process, Chief Bazemore was chosen by the U.S. Air Force to be one of the initial airmen promoted to the rank of Air Force Chief Master Sergeant, EE9. This select group of Air Force non commissioned officers would later become known as the Air Force "Charter Chiefs."

On Dec. 1,2009, Chief Bazemore and his wife traveled to Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La. There, on the 50th anniversary of those first promoted to that rank by the U.S. Air Force, he would be among a group of 18 surviving Charter Chief Master Sergeants being honored for their service. The three-day event featured a final banquet dinner hosted by Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Swartz, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Outside of the U.S. his service career would take him to such places as South America, numerous Pacific islands, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Greenland.

During his military career Chief Bazemore was connected to and touched by several historical events. One such event was serving as the ground crew chief for Air Force One on Friday, November 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

After his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Chief Bazemore worked on the development of the B-2 bomber project as an employee of the Northrop Grumman Corporation. He would later spend eight years in Iran as an employee of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.

He and his wife, Ellen, have been residents of the Westminster Village retirement community in Blytheville since April 1999. He and his wife were married December 3, 1944 in Wilmington, Del. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Chief Bazemore had long been an active member in numerous community based civic organizations and events. His many activities included memberships in the U.S. Air Force Charter Chief Association, life membership in the Non Commissioned Officers Association; membership in the Blytheville Lions Club International; and membership in the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He was a life member of the American Legion and served as past commander of American Legion Post 33 in Blytheville.

Chief Bazemore had also been involved with youth oriented activities on the various military installations at which he served, including tenure as a Cub Scout troop leader and as a baseball club manager while stationed at McCord AFB, Wash.

Chief Bazemore was loved and respected by all who knew him and he will be sorely missed by family and friends alike.

Funeral services with full military honors will be hele at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with burial following in Dogwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Cobb Funeral Home. The online register for condolences is at www.cobbfuneralhome.com