James K. Nail, age 89, of Flora, Illinois, passed away Tuesday afternoon, January 8, 2019, at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana.

     He was born April 19, 1929, in Skiatook, Oklahoma, son of the late James King Nail and Sylvia I. (Chapman) Nail.

     Jim was an Army veteran of the Korean War.  He crossed the country and the globe during his noteworthy lifelong working career, from his earliest work at Pure Oil Company, to Cape Canaveral in the control room of the Apollo 7 mission, and continuing on to an assignment with the Hubble Space Telescope.  He later worked in remote parts of the world in offshore drilling as a control engineer.  During his semi-retirement he took a position at Sea World in Florida, and eventually returned to Illinois to be closer to family.   He was a 32^nd degree Mason, member of the Scottish Rite, and a Shriner.  Jim took pride in being recognized as a member of the Cherokee Nation, and was of the Christian faith. 

     He is survived by a sister: Sylvia McCrory of Flora; nieces and nephew: Karen (Mike) Delonshaw of Clay City, Sharon (Mac) Laswell of Phoenix, AZ, and Ray (Lois) McCrory of Flora; 4 great-nephews and nieces: Christopher (Shanda) McCrory of Flora, Bret (Amanda) Laswell of Phoenix, AZ, Amy (Charlie) Thornton of Bement, and Kayla Laswell of Phoenix, AZ; and 4 great-great nieces and nephews.

     A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 12, 2019, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora.  Masonic rites will be presented, followed by a funeral ceremony officiated by Pastor Lee Woods.  Interment with military funeral honors will follow at Floral Garden of Memories Cemetery.  Memorial donations are suggested to the Flora American Legion or Flora VFW, and will be accepted through the funeral home.  To share a condolence or memory, visit www.frankandbright.com.