James D. Lawhon, KD4NU SK James D. (Jim) Lawhon, 97, of Cincinnati, Ohio, formerly of Macon, Georgia was born April 7, 1920 in Powell, Tennessee to Joseph Nauman Lawhon and Blaney Edith Fox and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. He passed away September 27, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 10:30 A.M. at Mary Jane Wells Chapel on the Ohio Living Llanfair campus. A celebration of life service will be held Friday, December 29, 2017 at the chapel of First Presbyterian Church in Macon with the Reverend John Kinser officiating. The family will greet friends following the service. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. Jim was a pioneer in bringing television to central Georgia and advancing religious broadcasting in many languages around the world. Jim’s love for radio began at age of 14 when he built a ham radio unit and taught himself Morse Code. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Electrical Engineering. During WWII he repaired and installed radar for the Navy. After working for General Electric, Jim went to Macon, Georgia in 1948 as chief engineer to spearhead the creation of WMAZ, the first TV station in Macon. Broadcasting finally began in 1953. In his early years in Macon, he met a group involved with Christian broadcasting overseas. In retirement he began a ministry that touched lives around the globe: building transmitters from scratch and installing them in Ecuador, Swaziland and Panama; establishing ABC Radio 88.3 and teaching at the African Bible College in Malawi, Africa; and following up with daily encouragement and support to his ministry friends throughout his life. Jim married Jean Rutledge in 1944 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They raised their three children in Macon. Jean passed in 1987. He married Esther Gibson Barrows of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1996 and joined her at Llanfair Retirement Community. He remained there after Esther passed. Jim was a member of Delta Tau Delta, Gideon International, Kiwanis, and First Presbyterian Church of Macon. He was past president of Georgia Broadcasters Association and a leader in his local church and the Presbyterian Church of America. Jim married Jean Rutledge in 1944. After her passing, he married Esther Gibson Barrows of Cincinnati in 1996. His children include daughter Linda Ross (Dennis) of Jefferson, Iowa, and sons John R. Lawhon (Marshall) of London, England, and Dan N. Lawhon (Joy) of Macon, Georgia; stepdaughters Sue Gibson Windgassen (Dean) of Cincinnati, Brena Gibson Conley (Jim) of Leland, North Carolina and the late Barbara Gibson Sarbaugh (Frank) of Cincinnati, Ohio; grandchildren Susan Freeman (David), Michael Herrington (Michelle), Winthrop Lawhon, Ashlee Smith (Matt), Molly Prestwood (Will), Kellie Lawhon, Jenny Nicholson (Grant), Lucy Lawhon, Amy Hayward, Keith Stanton, Kimberly Grace, Chris Manoly, Rebecca Finni, And Paul Sarbaugh; 19 great-grandchildren; and many friends and extended family. Memorials may be sent to BESI/ Radio Kahuzi, P.O. Box 110173, Bradenton, Florida, 34211-0003. Register online at www.hartsmort.com Hart’s Mortuary and Crematory, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements. https://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/...3464a6f690&CFTOKEN=0&o_id=4393123&fh_id=11723 James D. Lawhon, KD4NU (Not in FCC database) 1776 Larch Ave Apt 204 Cincinnati, OH 45224-2976 USA License Class: Advanced License Issue Date: Mar 01 2017 License Expiration Date: May 28 2027 FCC Last Transaction: LIREN FCC Licensee ID: L01242514 FCC FRN Number: 0016065104 Look up KD4NU on the FCC website Birth Date: Apr 07 1920 James D. "Jim" Lawhon (April 7, 1920 - September 27, 2017)
