James David Lawson, Jr.

League City, Texas James D. Lawson, Jr., 37, of League City, Texas, formerly of Moline and Coal Valley, Illinois, died suddenly on Sunday, October 3, 2004, in Clear Lake Medical Center, Webster, Texas. Services are 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Celebration of Life Chapel at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Coal Valley and 10:00 a.m. Monday at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Coal Valley, with Rev. Michael Schaab and Rev. Duane Jack officiating. Burial is in Coal Valley Cemetery. Visitation is 2 to 5 p.m. at Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Coal Valley. Memorials may be made to an education fund for his sons. Jim was born March 11, 1967, in Rock Island, the son of James David and Carol (Hauerwas) Lawson. He graduated from Moline High School in 1985, and received a BA degree in Computer Science with a Mathematics Minor from St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. He married Melinda Verscha on May 30, 1987, in Coal Valley. Jim was an Eighth Grade career and technical teacher and yearbook advisor at Creekside Intermediate School in League City. He previously taught at Edison Middle School in Houston, Texas. He coached football and track, and most enjoyed spending time with his sons fishing, camping, and teaching them soccer. Jim is survived by his wife, Melinda; two sons, Christopher and Matthew; his mother, Carol Lawson of Moline; a sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Mike VanDeVelde of Moline; a brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Berlinda Lawson of Belen, New Mexico; aunts, Dorothy Onderbeke of Rock Island and Edna Griffith of Golden, Colorado; uncles, Lloyd Lawson and his wife Shelba of Coal Valley, Charles Kirby of Rock Island, and Harold Wells of Moline; and his wife's parents, Mary Ann and Richard Verscha of Coal Valley; he also has several nieces, nephews, and cousins, both locally and across the country. He was preceded in death by his father, James David Lawson. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com. END OF OBITUARY