| Graduation Year | Faculty |
| Date of Birth | Jun 23, 1948 |
| Date of Passing | Mar 29, 2023 |
| About | James Mesko passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 following complications from diabetes due to Agent Orange. He was born June 23, 1948, to Peter and Stella Mesko in Akron, Ohio. He grew up in the Portage Lakes and attended St. Francis de Sales school where he played baseball and basketball. In 1962 he went to Coventry High School where he played football, baseball, ran track, and was a member of the first Coventry wrestling team. He would become the second Coventry wrestler to go to district competition, as well doing the same in track. He was the recipient of the Chrysler Youth Award and Ken Eshleman Outstanding Senior Athlete. In 1966 he enrolled in the University of Akron where he would eventually get a teaching degree in History, Political Science, and Earth Science. At the university he was a freshman counselor, a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity, and participated in intramural football, wrestling, and basketball. · Following graduation in 1970 he joined the U.S. Naval Reserves and deployed to South Vietnam to Advisory Team 62 in 1971. There he worked in the Vietnamization Program until leaving in 1972. Upon his return from Vietnam, he began a 35-year teaching career, first as a substitute, then working full time for Green Local Schools until he retired in 2007. During his career he taught Earth Science, Life Science, Ohio History, Central American History, and Health. He started the wrestling program at the Junior High and coached the first experimental girls’ softball program. He also was a member of the Green Education Association, serving as a state delegate and eventually becoming the vice president and then president of the organization. Following his retirement he took a part time job as a staff writer for the Suburbanite, a weekly newspaper, and wrote hundreds of articles covering a variety of topics. He was also a member of the Military Aviation Preservation Society (MAPS) Museum where he worked in public relations and as a tour guide. Jim was a longtime member of St. Francis de Sales parish where he served as an usher for over 20 years. Jim was also a prolific author, writing 45 military history books for Squadron Signal Publications and became a well-known authority on military subjects. In conjunction with this he was a member of the International Plastic Modeling Society (IPMS) and the Armor Modeling Society (AMPS) and was a founding member of two IPMS and one AMPS chapter. In addition, he served as an armor editor for the IPMS national magazine and wrote product reviews for the AMPS national magazine. He was also a featured seminar speaker at the national IPMS and AMPS conventions along with various local and regional conventions. His passion for modeling military subjects garnered him numerous local, regional, and national awards for a variety of subjects ranging from tanks to humor, including a special national winner of his favorite cartoon character, "Opus". He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Stella, and one brother, Gary. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Pat, who was his wonderful companion and soul mate for all the years of their marriage. |
| Events | The family will receive friends Thursday, April 13, 2023 from 4 to 7pm at the Anthony Funeral Home, 1990 S. Main St., Akron. A Mass of Christina Burial will be celebrated Friday, April 14, 2023 at 11:00am at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 4039 Manchester Road, Akron OH 44319. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. Donations may be made to the MAPS Air Museum. (Anthony, AKRON, anthonyfh.com) |
