- Date Of Birth: August 24, 1936
- Date Of Death: April 30, 2014
- State: Illinois
James F. Aitken, 77, of Peru, passed away April 30, 2014 at his home.
Mr. Aitken was born August 24, 1936 in Spring Valley to John and Barbara Louise (Eggers) Aitken. He graduated from LaSalle-Peru High School in 1954. He attended Illinois State University and received his Bachelors Degree from the University of Mexico City. He served in the United States Army where he was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA and was able to fluently speak Spanish and Romanian in only three months. He used this talent to monitor and interpret phone conversations between Romanian soldiers and government officials during the Cold War, before the fall of the Soviet Union.
He is survived by his brother, Joseph (Boike) Aitken of Medford, OR; a sister, Nancy (the late Michael) Trad of Marseilles; nieces and nephews, Dr. Michael J. (Suzan) Trad of Hewitt, WI, Paula (Dr. Mark) Klietz of Missoula, MT, Jeffry (JoEllen) Trad of Fresno, CA, Bruce (Esther) Duffield of San Diego, CA, Brian (Claudia) Duffield of Corona, CA and Claudia(Edward Brewer)Duffield of Anchorage, AK and several great nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and a sister and brother-in-law, Barbara A. and Merill Duffield.
