Dr. James Settle

Dr. James (Jim) A. Settle, Jr., of Blue Ridge, Georgia died peacefully on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at the age of 80.  Jim will be cremated, and a celebration of life event will occur at a later date at McCollum Airfield, where he loved to fly for over 30 years.

               Jim was born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 10, 1943 to James and Lucile Settle.  He attended Vanderbilt University and Medical school (1961-1968) where he graduated with M.D. Degree.  He specialized in Pulmonary Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine.  He was a Captain in the Air Force from 1968-1972 and served in Vietnam.  In 1976, he opened his own medical practice in Atlanta where he serviced eight hospitals (West Paces Ferry, Emory Adventist, Shepherd Center, Northlake Medical Center, Atlanta Medical Center, Kindred Hospital, Select Specialty, and Crawford Long)  and was a courtesy staff doctor at Piedmont Hospital.  In May 2006, he joined the VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System at Eglin Air Force Base.  Dr. Settle always put his patients first, making sure they received the best care possible.  

               Jim was a very generous person.  It wasn’t uncommon for him to help a stranger by paying a mechanic bill they couldn’t afford or telling the waitress to give him the check for some young soldiers and their friends, thanking them for their service.

               The only thing Jim loved as much as his family was flying.  His favorite thing was to go up in his biplane and do a hammerhead stall.  He also loved traveling in his Barron frequently asking his family, “Where would you like to go?” and taking them there.

               He was proceeded in death by his father, James A. Settle, Sr., his mother Lucile Brown Settle, and his daughter Karen Brenza.  Jim is survived by his wife, Becky of 30 years; his daughter Shawn (Michael) Angiono; his brother Steve (Colleen) Settle; his three granddaughters, Dauphine, Margaret, and Elizabeth Burns; his nephew, Kobe Watson, two nieces, Kaelyn and Kelsi Watson; and his two beloved dogs, Allie and Finn.

               The family would like to thank the staff of the Reflections Unit at Manor Lake in Elijay, Georgia and Willow Brook Hospice for their amazing care of Jim.  We are so grateful for all the love you gave Jim.