James E. Sharon (Seymour)'s Obituary
James Elmer Sharon was born July 18, 1924 in West Des Moines, Iowa, to Seth Walter and Bertha Adeline (Clingan) Sharon. He was the youngest of eight children, two girls and six boys.
Two events captured Jim’s lifelong love for words and baseball. At the age of 12, while attending a one-room school, he won the Warren County spelling championship. In his junior year in high school, he was catcher on the Martensdale baseball team, which won the state championship. After graduating from high school in 1942, he worked with his Uncle Elmer, building the Air Force base in Western Iowa, then entered Iowa State College in January 1943.
In the fall of 1943, he was drafted and served in the Pacific theater until the spring of 1946. He had always valued education, and it became a lifesaver for him: his attendance at Iowa State resulted in promotion from infantry to Intelligence and Reconnaissance in New Guinea, the Philippines and later Japan. Then he returned to Iowa State, graduating in 1950 with a degree in agricultural journalism. While in college he was editor of Iowa Agriculturalist magazine, and a member of Farmhouse fraternity, ROTC, Sigma Delta Chi honorary journalism fraternity, and a winning Barbershop quartet. His boyhood on an Iowa farm and his interest in agriculture led him to spend the summer of 1949 under the auspices of the Experiment in International Living, observing farming in Denmark.
In 1950, he was united in marriage to Rebecca Jane Stone, also an Iowa State graduate. To them were born three children: Deborah Jane, Julia Anne, and David James Sharon. Together they built a home that valued faith in God, service to others, appreciation for nature, and a love of music and learning.
He was employed in public relations by the Borden Co. until being recalled into the army during the Korean War in February 1951. He was a 1st lieutenant in Public Information for Division Headquarters. Fortunately, he served most of his time in Frankfurt, Germany, and was honorably discharged in March of 1953.
He was farm editor of the Battle Creek, Michigan Enquirer and News, then advanced to The Farmer magazine in St. Paul, Minnesota. Miller Publishing Co. in Minneapolis later hired him to begin new publications, Feedlot and Pro Feeder.
In 1961, the family moved to St. Louis where he was employed as the founding editor for Doane Agricultural Service’s Doane Magazine. In 1968 the Sharons’ moved to Seymour to engage in custom farming and raising beef cattle.
Jim was a faithful, active volunteer in his church, Lions Club, Soil and Water Conservation Service, the Chamber of Commerce, and spent more than 15 years with recycling programs. He and his wife received Seymour’s Good Citizen award in 2002. He considered his most meaningful and successful writing to be the nomination letter he wrote for his wife to receive a national award in homemaking. His personal faith and walk with the Lord set an example for his children, grandchildren and many others.
He is survived by his loving wife, Rebecca of the home; his brother Wayne (Bill) Sharon; his children Debbie Volner and husband Jim, Julie Thomas and husband Greg, David Sharon and wife Donna; his grandchildren Sam Sharon and wife Becca, Caitlin Buening and husband Kevin, Emily Thomas, Becca and Bryan Lenox and Benjamin Thomas; and his great-grandchildren Avery Buening, Owen Buening and Cara Lenox; several nieces, nephews, as well as a host of many other dear family and friends.
We celebrate the life of James (Jim) Sharon, holding on to the truth in our Lord Jesus Christ that we will meet again.
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