death of DL Capt. James Harold McCann, age 85
death flwnwst
~ IN MEMORY ~
Navy veteran, DL Capt. James Harold McCann
June 24, 1941 ~ August 20, 2026
Delta Golden Wings member Captain James “Jim” McCann joined Delta Air Lines 09-12-1969 and was based Houston and Atlanta. Jim is survived by his wife Johnnie, and by his children and Johnnie’s children along with their families.
Services for Jim will be held in Marietta, Georgia on September 13th….please see obituary below for information.
PCN memorial site https://pcnflightwest.blogspot.com/2026/08/dl-capt-james-harold-mccann.html
https://www.mayeswarddobbins.com/obituaries/James-Harold-Mccann?obId=49415690
James Harold McCann Obituary
James Harold McCann, beloved husband, father, Poppy, friend, Navy veteran, and retired Delta Air Lines captain, was born on June 24, 1941, and passed away peacefully on August 20th, 2026.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Anne Yinger McCann, who passed away in 2016; his parents, Beecher and Mary Omer McCann; and his sister, Nancy Ann Ricks. He remarried in 2018 and is survived by his wife, Johnnie Gabriel-McCann; his three children, Todd (Lisa) McCann, Kevin (April) McCann, and Leslie (Slade) Lofstad, and his six grandchildren, Hailey, Connor, Caroline, Jackson, Ryder, and Knox. He is also survived by Johnnie's daughters Stephanie (Vernon) Bahm, Laura Payne-Gabriel, and 3 grandchildren, Wyatt, Heath, and Katherine.
Born and raised in Morganfield, Kentucky, Jim graduated from Murray State University and became a math teacher before joining the United States Navy in 1964. He served as a naval aviator during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier, flying the S-2 Tracker. In 1969, he completed his active-duty service as a lieutenant and began what would become a long and distinguished 32-year career with Delta Air Lines.
His career with Delta first took him to Houston, Texas, before he and Anne ultimately settled in Marietta, Georgia in 1971 on Arden Drive, where they built their life and raised their three children amongst many families who would become lifelong friends. Jim achieved the rank of captain in 1985 and retired from Delta in June 2001 after more than three decades of flying, finishing his career as an MD-11 captain.
While his career took him around the world, the things that mattered most to Jim were much closer to home. He was active in his church, gave his time generously to Habitat for Humanity, and valued the friendships he built throughout his life. Above all, he treasured his family and especially the time he spent with his grandchildren.
Jim lived his life with quiet strength and without the need for recognition. Selfless, humble, and dependable, his life was one of service—to his country, his community, his friends, and, most importantly, his family. He was deeply devoted to the people he loved and led by example, with integrity, generosity, and steadfast character evident not simply in what he said, but in the way he lived each day. Those who knew and loved Jim will remember the example he set and the values he passed on to the generations that follow. His was a life well lived, and his legacy will continue through the family he loved so dearly.
A memorial service honoring Jim's life will be held on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in the chapel at the First Baptist Church of Marietta at 3:00 PM with visitation beginning at 2:00 PM.
Contributions can be made is Jim's honor to the First Baptist Church of Marietta, Must Ministries, or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.