Obituary of James Eugene Folston Jr.

January 31, 1935 – January 10, 2022

56 Year Resident of Soquel

Services will be held in Santa Cruz on February 12 for James Folston who passed away unexpectedly at his home with his loved ones at his side.  Born in Eugene, Oregon he was 86 years old. Mr. Folston attended Grant High School in Portland, and earned his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Oregon State University in Corvallis. Following graduation, he and beloved wife of 63 years were married in Corvallis. He joined the United State Air Force in August of 1959 and piloted several fighter jets including the F100, F-104, and F-105. After his 5-year service in the Air Force and receiving the rank of Captain, Mr. Folston began a career as a commercial airline pilot with Pam American Airlines for 22 years and later with United Airlines for 10 ten years.

He and his loving wife Shirley enjoyed spending their later years in both Soquel and Kalispell, Montana.  Mr. Folston was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and a member of Blue Key National Honor Fraternity Chapter at Oregon State. and enjoyed the comradery of hiking in Glacier National Park with his friends in the Over the Hill Gang Hiking Club in Kalispell.

Along with hiking, he continued flying with his private pilot’s license along with hunting, fishing and just about any activity involving the great outdoors.

Mr. Folston is survived by his beloved wife Shirley Folston of Soquel, his daughters; Linda Folston of Soquel and Patricia Folston of Sacramento. He also leaves his cherished grandchildren; Cheyenne Mora, Brennan Folston, and Rowan Folston.  He was preceded in death by his daughter Cindy Folston and his sister Beverly Watkins.

Friends and family will gather on Saturday February 12, 2022 at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel for a memorial celebration beginning at 11 a.m., followed by military honors rendered by the Travis Air Force Base Honor Guard.  Current CO-VID protocols will be in place. For those unable to attend, a live tribucast is available by logging in to:  https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/7310960297

  A private committal will take place at Oakwood Memorial Park where he will be laid to rest beside his late daughter, Cindy.