James "Pat" Godfrey Sr., 90: World War II vet who flew cargo planes

By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Duluth merchants always gave James Godfrey a call when they had an equipment problem.

Around town, he was the "fix-it" man.

Many people knew about his background: He was a pilot and certified aircraft mechanic during the early days of Eastern and Delta airlines after flying cargo during World War II, and the Decatur native later helped design and install the plumbing and snow-making machinery forSky Valley, a ski resort east of Dillard.

"Dad got involved with that project through W.P. Jones, the former mayor of Duluth," said James Patrick Godfrey Jr., a son from Buford. "He was put in charge of the snow-making machinery, the compressors and pumps and all that. He pretty much installed and maintained the snow-making aspect of the resort."

On June 18, James Patrick Godfrey Sr. of  Duluth died of natural causes at his home. He was 90. A memorial service has been held. Bill Head Funeral Homes and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Godfrey was a graduate of the Decatur Boys High School. Growing up, he and his brother were enamored with flying and hung out at Peachtree-DeKalb Airport and did odd jobs.

A pilot  taught Mr. Godfrey how to fly, and the latter eventually earned his pilots license and aircraft mechanics license and put them to use for Delta and Eastern.

Mr. Godfrey was drafted into the Navy but became a cargo pilot for the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the military, his civilian pilot career was grounded when he accidentally poked himself in the eye with the tip of a knife.

Unable to fly because of limited vision, he became a heavy equipment salesman and in the late 1960s an independent contractor. He was hired for the Sky Valley project, which took the family from Duluth to North Georgia for  nearly four years.

"The entrepreneurs behind that project knew dad had the skills to facilitate the building of that complex," said Joseph Stanley Godfrey, another son from Buford. "Mechanics and machinery were his trademarks."

Mr. Godfrey enjoyed fishing on Lake Lanier and dining with friends at Rexall Grill, a Duluth institution that closed last Wednesday. He attended Georgia Tech.

Mr. Godfrey met Brenda Sweeney Godfrey, his wife of 50 years, when she was a National Airlines flight attendant and he was a passenger on one of her flights.

"He introduced himself before he sat down next to meand that was the start of our relationship," she said. "He was a Southern gentleman."

Other survivors include another son, Charles Rhett Godfrey of Jefferson; a daughter, Sally Godfrey Parrish of Dacula; and 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.