WALTON, FRANCIS J.

Francis James “Jim” Walton, 95, of Harrisonburg, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016. Jim was born July 14, 1921, in Cadillac, Mich. He was the son of the late John O. Walton and Julia Root Walton.

He proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater and was a member of the Carlson Raiders. He lived in Michigan most of his life. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University, where he was captain of the football team. Jim was a teacher and then retired from General Motors, where he worked for 30 years. In his retirement, he lived in northern Michigan and Florida and then moved to Harrisonburg, Va., in 2000 to help with White Oak Lavender, his daughter’s family farm.

Jim was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating, camping, traveling, bowling, golf, and football. He was a talented carpenter. He built two of the family homes and he made many handcrafted projects for his family. He especially loved spending time with his large family. Jim was admired for his sense of humor, patience and kindness toward others.

He is preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings, his wife of almost 70 years, Jessie Ruth Meade, and daughter, Susan Jay Walton.

His surviving family includes a son, Dr. James Meade Walton (Pam) of Port Angeles, Wash.; daughters, Jane Walton Wree (Richard) of Lakeland, Fla., and Julie Walton Haushalter (Richard) of Harrisonburg, Va.; grandchildren, James Walton, Robert Walton (Shanna), Anna O’Dea, Meghan Forman (Will), Andrew Hyder (Adrienne), Rebecca Haushalter, Brandon Haushalter (Kristin), Ryan Haushalter (Jamie), Nathan Wree (Danielle), and Aaron Wree (Jolene); great-grandchildren, Wyatt and Ryan Lathrop, Sophia Anderson, Truly Forman, Moss and Gibson Haushalter, Jackson Haushalter, Braden Wree and Lincoln Wree, Madeline and James Walton.

Interment services will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery alongside his wife who passed away in April 2015.