James Odell "Bud" Bledsoe Jr., 87, passed away on February 25, 2026 at Ascension Hospital, St. Johns, Florida. He was born in New Bern, NC on March 22, 1938 to James O. Bledsoe, Sr. and Sarah Nelson Bledsoe. Jim grew up in New Bern and graduated from New Bern High School in 1956. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1960, and entered graduate school at the University of Oklahoma where he earned a PhD in Chemistry in 1965.

Over the next 37 years, Jim worked as a research chemist for various chemical companies in New Jersey and Florida including International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF), SCM Glidden, Union Camp Paper Company, Bush Boake Allen, and in 2002, he retired from IFF, Jacksonville, Florida.

Jim was active in community activities in the Jacksonville Arlingwood area, serving as advisor to the Boy Scout troop at St. Paul United Methodist, and was Scoutmaster when his son became an Eagle Scout. He was an avid tennis player, playing on teams in Arlington and at Del Webb Ponte Vedra. He and his wife Sarah were charter members of 913 Christian Church in 2020 where Jim was a deacon. After retirement, Jim served as president of the POA for their retirement home community of Eagles Landing in Ashe County, NC.

Jim is survived by Sarah, his wife of 40 years; his daughter Ellen (Martin) Schaefer and his son, James (Karen) Bledsoe III; grandsons Brian (Caitlyn Finton) Schaefer and Eric Schaefer and Sarah (Darren) Hughes and their children. Also surviving are sisters Virginia Bledsoe Lawson and Martha Bledsoe Faw of New Bern, NC. He is survived by a number of other nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Jim's life will be held at 1:00 PM at 913 Christian Church, 2560 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach, FL on March 21, 2026, the day before his 88th birthday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Appalachian Trail Resiliency Fund to repair damage Hurricane Helene did to the Appalachian Trail or to 913 Christian Church.