James Edward Prokesh

James Edward “Ed” Prokesh (83) of Leesburg, GA, a Dad, Brother, Uncle and Friend passed away on Tuesday February 18, 2025 at the Wilson Hospice House in Albany, GA. A  memorial service will be held Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Mathews at 6:00 PM Funeral Home with Military Honors.   Mr. Ross Powell and Mr. Emory Barrett will officiate. A private family service and Interment will follow on the family farm in Leoma, TN on another date.

Born in Leoma, TN on April 14, 1941, Ed is survived by a son, Christopher James Prokesh of Leesburg, GA, a sister, Linda Gail Wayland of Milan, TN, a life-long friend Margaret Ann Austin of Albany GA (also former-spouse and mother of Chris), six nieces and nephews, and numerous cousins and great-nieces/nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and mother Roy Lincoln Prokesh and Hazel Dakota Prokesh of Leoma/Lawrenceburg TN, and a brother, Roy Bobby-Joe Prokesh of Peoria IL. 

A highlight of Ed’s life and his favorite topic of conversation was his Air Force service as a HIRAN/HIRAD radio-electronics specialist with the 1370TH Aerial Photo Mapping Wing. Originally based out of Keesler AFB, Ed relocated to Albany, GA with the entire unit to Turner Field Air Force Base in 1962. One of four small units with a joint-mission task of photo-mapping the globe, Ed was able to fly and serve in every continent in the northern hemisphere during his tenure. Ed remained with the 1370th at Turner Field until it was announced of the base closing in 1966. Choosing not to re-enlist and remain in the Albany area where he married and settled in nearby Lee County (Leesburg), Ed sought a career in electronics that has included Xerox Corporation, MITA, and Southern Bell, while also opting to enlist and continue to serve with the Air Force through the Air National Guard as an electronics specialist repairing field radio equipment for air-drop during the Vietnam war. Ed remained with the Air National Guard through 1977 and pursued a local career of 20+ years in commercial office electronics repair. At one point during his career, he was named by MITA Corporation as “Best Photo Copier repair technician east of the Mississippi River”. 

Through the years, Ed attended the Church of Christ, and in addition to his family, Ed loved precision competition rifle shooting, square dancing, and both on and off-road motorcycling. He was a sixty-plus year competitor in precision rifle competition through both his military and civilian life. Ed was an active elder-life member and Board of Directors of the Southwest Georgia Sportsman Club in Albany, GA having run their rimfire rifle competition series for nearly 3 decades, and obtained the status of “Distinguished-Expert” by the National Rifle Association. Ed served as both an NRA Instructor and Georgia Department of Natural Resources Hunter Safety Education Instructor for nearly 20 years, and was instrumental in setting up the early rifle marksmanship program with the Boy Scouts of America. As a former Life-Scout himself, Ed also served as an Assistant Scout Master with both the American Legion Troop #204 and VFW Troop #1. Ed loved children and was always ready and eager to teach young shooters safe firearms practice and rifle marksmanship.

The family will receive friends Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm at Mathews Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, you may make donations in memory of James Edward Prokesh to the American Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org, or 322 8TH Ave. 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

229-435-5657