James L. Ellerd

James "Jim" Ellerd passed away on October 25th 2015 at 73, due to complications from Parkinson's.  Born in Fort Knox, Kentucky and raised in Staten Island, New York, Jim spent a lifetime serving his country, beginning at an early age when he joined the Civil Air Patrol while still in high school.  Upon graduating from New Dorp High School, he joined the Airforce.  Showing a proficiency for foreign languages, he was enrolled at Yale for immersive studies in Chinese, which he learned to speak fluently.  Through the Airforce and other government agencies he traveled extensively throughout the world, making his home in many countries, including Okinawa and Taiwan. He was detail oriented in his work, leading him to receive multiple awards and the respect of his peers.  This attention to detail was also present in the joy he took in his hobbies.  His room-sized On-30 scale train set with representations of Annapolis and Savage rail stations brought as much joy to his friends and family as it did to him and unfortunately, much to his chagrin, his cats. But perhaps no hobby brought him more joy than his work with The Washington Armor Club.  His attention to detail in creating scale models of rare and obscure historical armored vehicles led to his work being displayed in the First Army Museum, and the Battle of the Bulge Conference Room at Fort Meade and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Wing in the Pentagon. His family, friends and co-workers knew him as a prankster, a lover of puns and practical jokes and a person who could find humor in any situation. Jim Ellerd is survived by his son, Andrew and his sister, JoAnn DiBrizzi and an extended family of relatives and friends.

Donations in Jim Ellerd's name to the "Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research" would be appreciated.