James Wylie Rawson - 86, of Country Club Manor Steubenville, formerly of Toronto and Irondale, died Tuesday February 20, 2001 at Trinity Medical Center West.
He was born March 31, 1914, in Waverly, West Virginia, the son of the late Bert and Nelia C. Alleman Triplett Rawson.
In 1976, Jim retired from the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation where he was employed as a crane operator first at the Steubenville plant''s open hearth and finally at the Mingo Junction Basic Oxygen Furnace. He was also the owner and operator of the James W. Rawson Refrigeration & Electric Motor repair Service.
Mr. Rawson was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. and aided in the building of Jefferson Lake during his period of enlistment. He was also a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army where he completed training in the Army Air Forces Technical School as an airplane mechanic.
James was a Mason, being a member of Toronto Lodge 583, F. & A.M. and of the Scottish Rite.
James was an avid outdoorsman, hunting and fishing in the hills, lakes, and streams of Ohio and West Virginia. A great lover of music and an excellent musician, he enjoyed playing the saxophone, the clarinet and the guitar. Not only was Jim a member of the Ralph Edwards Orchestra, but he spent many happy hours with his family around the piano as each played an instrument and/or sang big band tunes. Besides his parents, James was preceded in death by four brothers, Francis Earl Rawson, Sr., Gilbert B. Rawson, Ernest Van Rawson, and another Ernest who died in infancy, and two sisters, Hilda Peryl Munsee Livingston and Ruby Mae Johnson. He was also predeceased by three nephews, Francis Earl Rawson, Jr., Earl Herald Munsee, and E. Boyd Rawson. James leaves behind his beloved wife Olive Jean Burchfield Rawson whom he met in 1930, and married October 19, 1940. He is also survived by one son, James Timothy Rawson, Sr. of Anaheim Hills, California and his wife Pan Yang of Beijing China, and two daughters, Linda Rae Goodrich and her husband Carl of Cedar Hill, Texas and Rebecca Jean Thornberry and her husband Charles of Toronto. He also leaves behind grandchildren Mark Goodrich, Andrea Beshuk, Greg Thornberry, and J.T. and Pei Pei Rawson. Great grandchildren include Christopher, Jonathon, and Olivia Goodrich, Sheena and Kayla Isenhoff, and Austin, Abigail, and Katherine Anne Beshuk. He is also survived by many dear nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends. Visitation hours will be 7-9 Thursday - 2-4 & 7-9 Friday at Clarke Funeral Home - 302 Main Street, Toronto, Ohio. 740-537-1234 or 1-800-588-1446 Masonic services will be held at 8:00 PM Friday. A funeral service will be held Saturday February 24, 2001 at 11:00 AM at Clarke Funeral Home with Reverend Dennis Kelley of th First Church of the Nazarene, officiating. Burial will be in the Toronto Union Cemetery - Toronto Full Military Graveside Honors by the Toronto American Legion Memorial contributions may be made to the Toronto First Church of the Nazarene - 505 Findley Street, Toronto, Ohio 43964