James Keith Redding (Jim) of Columbia, SC passed away Sunday, April 4, 2021. Jim was born in Portsmouth, OH on January 16, 1941 to Kenneth and Doris Vivian Warden Redding. He had two brothers, David & John and two sisters, Jolinda Rockwell & Jan Elise Redding, both of Ft. Myers, FL. On June 3, 1967, he married Janice Marie Rider Redding in Portsmouth, Ohio, and two sons, Scott Dale Redding , who resides in San Diego, CA and Timothy, Andrew living in Washington, D.C. (with his wife Diala and sons Miles & Ayman).
Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1959, and immediately entered into military service. After a three year stint in the US Army in 1959, he reentered into the US Army in 1967. He was deployed to the Vietnam War in January 1968, and was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal – 5, two for valor device, the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, the Air Medal, the Meritorious Service Award with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters , National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star and later, the Legion of Merit.
In August 1991, Redding retired as a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) from the US Army at Fort Jackson, SC. In October 1997, LTC Redding was appointed as Magistrate for NE Richland County, SC, where he served until he retired in March 2005.
Throughout his service to the state of South Carolina, he was presented with numerous awards. Most notably, in 1985, he was awarded the “Order of the Palmetto” from then-Governor Richard W. Riley.
In 2005, one of his uniforms from the Vietnam War was placed on permanent display in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. In May of 2010, he was inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor in Columbus, Ohio.
Preceding him in death on April 4, 2009 was his first wife, Janice Marie Rider Redding, his brothers David and John, and his parents Ken and Doris.
Jim was a self-made man who loved to travel, with trips to Scandinavia, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and most of Europe. He was most proud of his love for Jesus Christ, his family and the years he served in the US Army. Jim was a graduate of Ohio University and Boston University. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, soldier, teacher and judge, he had many good friends.
In September 2011, he was blessed to marry Cindy Jackson Redding of Columbia, SC, who has two wonderful daughters, Lindsay Radford and Lauren Cazzupe both of Columbia, SC. Jim was a member of the Palmetto Church of Christ in Columbia, SC and will be buried in Memorial Burial Park in Wheelersburg, Ohio.
He lived as he died, courageously and peacefully at the age of 80.
Funeral services will be held at 1 P.M. Friday at the RALPH F. SCOTT FUNERAL HOME in Portsmouth with Dennis Dawes, Minister, officiating. The American Legion James Dickey Post #23 Honor Detail will conduct military graveside services.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 11 A.M. Friday until the funeral hour.
The flag of the U.S. Army will fly at the funeral home on honor of LTC Redding’s service to our country.
