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43021. Jimmie Charles12 Sawyer (Ruth Irene11 Dodson, Verda Paralee10 Pettet, James Thomas9, Margaret Ann8 Greathouse, Sarah Ann (Anney)7 Allgood, Peter6, William (Pikey) Henry5, William John4, Edward3, William2, Edward1 Algood) was born in Springfield, Greene Co., MO September 30, 1939. Jimmie died September 6, 2003. OBIT: Jimmie Charles Sawyer, Republic, died Saturday, Sept. 6, 2003. He was born Sept. 30, 1939, to Dr. Hugh and Ruth (Dodson) Sawyer in Springfield. Sawyer was the founder and retired editor of Southwest Region News Service, a public-information-journalism program of University Outreach and Extension. He began the effort, which supplies educational news releases via the media and in other ways, in the late 1970s and retired in 2000. Sawyer received his associate of arts degree from Centerville Community College in Iowa in 1958, and bachelor's and master's degrees from Drury University in Springfield in 1962 and 1966, respectively. In 1990, he was nominated for membership in England's Royal Society of Arts, London, for his international journalism efforts. He was awarded the title of "Fellow" and letters of "FRSA" in 1991. Sawyer was the author of three books and many publications, including his own humorous autobiography, "A Hillbilly Journalist Out of Bounds," "Newswriting Short Course for Nonjournalists" and "Newswriting Short Course," the latter published by the Missouri Press Association. He was a former president of the Southwest Missouri Professional Chapter of the national Society of Professional Journalists, a member of SPJ's nationwide International Journalism Committee and a former consultant to the Ozark Press Association. He was honored by OPA in 1998 with one of the first three James C. Kirkpatrick Legacy Awards for Community Journalism. He married Judith West in 1960. To this union was born a daughter, Page Allison, in 1965; a son, Jon Christian Thomas, in 1968; and a daughter, Summer Dawn in 1976. They divorced in 1986. In 1989, Jim met Margaret Epperson, a co-worker in the University Extension organization. They were married in 1996 in Tuam, Ireland. After retiring, Sawyer became the media director for the Ozarks Area Racers' Reunion and assisting in bringing some big-name racing talent to speak at the reunions, including Buddy Baker, Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison and Ed Negre. Sawyer was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Hugh Sawyer, and stepfather, Bud Houghton. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; mother, Ruth Houghton; former wife, Judith Patrick; daughter, Page Morgan and husband, Terry; son, Jon Sawyer and wife, Jessica; daughter, Summer Davis and husband, Jeremy; stepson, Matthew Epperson and his wife, Alesha; and grandchildren, Siera and Jordan White, Emilee Morgan, Jonathon Sawyer, Aubren Easton, Jacob Davis and one unborn great-grandchild, Madylin White.
He married twice. He married Judith West 1960. He married Margaret Epperson 1996 in Tuam, Ireland.
Jimmie Charles Sawyer and Judith West had the following children:
55593 i. Page Allison13 Sawyer (living).
55594 ii. Jon Christian Thomas Sawyer (living).
55595 iii. Summer Dawn Sawyer (living).
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