James Ellis Jamison, 78 years old, of rural Winigan, Missouri peacefully passed away at home on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 surrounded by his family after a year-long battle with cancer.
Jim was born in Dayton, Ohio on February 19, 1945, to Norman and Lois (Bauer) Jamison. He was raised in the Pure Air, Missouri community and moved to Green City, Missouri during high school. There, Jim met and fell in love with Carol Lynette Lundstrom, who was his classmate. He became a professing Christian at 17 years old and was baptized at the Winigan Christian Church.
Jim graduated from Green City High School on May 17, 1963, and enlisted in the US Navy on May 29. He returned home from basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois to marry Carol on December 22, 1963, at the Winigan Christian Church.
During his 22 years in the Navy, Jim was an Aviation Electronics Command Master Chief. He was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee; Sanford, Florida; Beeville, Texas; Lowery Air Force Base in Colorado; Brunswick, Maine; and Norfolk, Virginia. He completed deployments on Aircraft Carriers USS Saratoga, USS Constellation, USS Forrestal, and the USS Kennedy. Jim spent years traveling the globe during his military career, including crossing the equator and transiting the Suez Canal. But his heart was set on farming. In June of 1985, he retired from the US Navy and moved back to Missouri to farm, first in rural Martinstown and then in rural Winigan. During that time, he also spent 20 years as a mail carrier, servicing the rural routes of Milan, Winigan, New Boston, and Kirksville.
In recent years, Jim has faithfully attended the Winigan Christian Church, where he was an elder emeritus. He has enjoyed retirement, tinkering around on his farm, caring for his cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens, attending local Bible study groups, and traveling as a couple with the love of his life. His home feels empty without the ubiquitous shuffling and snapping of his playing cards at the kitchen table.
Jim is survived by Carol, his loving wife of nearly 60 years, of the home; two sons, Joe (Diane) Jamison of Novinger, Missouri, and Robert (Jennifer) Jamison of Huxley, Iowa; three daughters, Elizabeth Beyer of Green City, Missouri, Rachael (Josh) Hall of rural Winigan, Missouri, and Melody (Nicholas) Schanzmeyer of Winigan, Missouri; brothers Steven Jamison of Annandale, Virginia, and Roger Jamison of Pukuana, South Dakota; and brothers-in-law Gary (Barb) Christy of Humphreys, Missouri, and Kenneth (Joyce) Lundstrom of Novinger, Missouri. Also surviving are fourteen grandchildren: Daniel and Nicholas Jamison; Thomas (Jenni) Beyer; Gavin, Korbin, Reicin, and Brycin Jamison; Michael and Garrett Hall; Josie, August, Oliver, Solomon, and Wilder Schanzmeyer; one great-grandson, Arlo Beyer; and several cherished nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, mother-in-law and father-in-law Roy and Mary Louise (Dawkins) Bunch, daughter Brenda Jamison, and sister Gloria (Jamison) Christy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, July 8, 2023, at the Winigan Christian Church in Winigan, Missouri with a dinner for the family and community to follow at noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Shiloh Christian Children’s Ranch, Show-Me Christian Youth Home, or Deaf Missions. Interment with military honors will take place at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville, Missouri at a later date.
