James L. Routson

James L. Routson

"I sing because I"m happy. I sing because I"m free. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me ... "

James Lee Routson brother, son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher, and friend went to be with his awesome God on December 2, 2018 at Medical College of Ohio, after falling and fracturing his left hip earlier that day, he went into convulsions the last two hours of his life. He was under the care of hospice of Northwest Ohio for about two months for the last stage of kidney failure.

He was the son of Paul and Hermine (Hess) Routson. He grew up in Oregon, which then was the east side of Toledo. He attended Clay High School and graduated in 1957. While at Clay, he played basketball all four years. Jim still holds the record at Clay for most points scored in a game. Jim and Janet Jaquillard met while he was playing baseball for Clay, as a pitcher. After high school, he married his soulmate Janet on September 5, 1959. They have been married 59 years.

After high school he received an athletic scholarship to play basketball at B.G.S.U. After one year, because of his good grades, coach Anderson helped him receive an academic scholarship from Sidney Froman (an industrialist in Ohio) to finish out his next three years playing ball for B.G.S.U. Jim was a baseball and basketball fanatic. Ask him a stat about baseball and Jim had the answer. Jim was an avid Detroit Tigers baseball fan. Dilegently watching or listening on the radio every game he could. Local, college and pro - Jim loved them all.

He began his teaching career in 1961 as a math teacher at Clay High School. He loved teaching and coaching his students most of all. While at Clay he taught math and coached boy's basketball for four years, when he was given a sabbatical from Clay for one year and applied for a Government Grant to many Colleges across our country and accepted an offer from Columbia, South Carolina. He moved his family for one year while he pursued his masters degree and he returned to Clay High and his math position. At this point in his teaching career he took on many extra jobs. He was assistant baseball coach (they were state champs in 1978). When his oldest daughter was a junior, he started the girls basketball program at Clay, which he then coached for the next ten years. During these years, he also was Student Council advisor, Quiz bowl coach, and started a Chess Club. He received "The I make a difference" awarded by The Blade three times. Along with all this, he found time to coach his four children in sports and make annual camping trips around the nation.

The greatest joy he got with the boys at Clay High, was being the Huddle leader for 20 years for Fellowship of Christian Athletics. He and Duke Ziebold (another Clay teacher) helped bring many teenagers to the Lord through camping, church visitations and as living examples for the Lord. After being retired for some years he was approached by his minister to resume his position at Clay leading the boys in F.C.A. He was still able to help bring many boys to Christ. He retired from Clay in 1994. In his retirement he accepted teaching positions at Davis College and University of Toledo in mathematics. He filled these positions until his wife retired. They were then able to travel more and get several trips to Arizona to visit their son, Mark and daughter-in-law. Jim also enjoyed gardening, traveling (all 50 states) and playing cards (especially Wizard and Bridge).

He has been very ill with diabetes and eventual kidney failure. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer while in Hawaii for his 45th wedding anniversary. He had his right kidney removed back in Ohio the following week. His story is told in a book called " With Strength and Grace" by Kay Fetters. The book is stories of cancer survivors. His story is the chapter called "Jim".

He was a member of First Saint John Lutheran Church, where he served as president and treasurer and Sunday School teacher. He also was a member of Heritage Open Bible where he served on the board, taught 2 year olds for MOPS and taught vacation Bible Study. He is presently attending Fallen Timbers Community Church, Waterville, Ohio.

He and Janet have four wonderful children. Cynthia (Patrick) Blake, Pamela (Gary) Pirolli, David (DeAnn Singlar) Routson and Mark (Milagro Santiago) Routson (Arizona). They are the parents of eight grandchildren Nicholas (Jenny) Roth, Nathan (Leslie) Roth, Ashley (Seth) Ruby, Amanda (serving with the Navy)(William) Sadowski Eric (Mandie) Pirolli, Jacob (National Guard ) (Kelly) Pirolli, and Madeliene and Corey Routson These eight grandchildren have given him, Jim, 12 great grandchildre, Austin, Jadyn, Bayley, Cole, Hannah and Stone Roth. Emma, Keegan and Connor Ruby, Kaylyn and Alayana Pirolli and Daxton Sadowski; brother-in-law, James (Lenne) Jacquillard. He is preceeded by parents and one sister Janet (Jim) Mravec.

Visitation will be held on Sunday at Eggleston Meinert & Pavley Funeral Home, Oregon Chapel, 440 S. Coy Road, Oregon from 1:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Monday from 11:00 AM at The Intersection Church, 1640 S. Coy Road, Oregon, Ohio, where the family will greet friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will take place at Ottawa Hills Memorial Park. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy in James' memory are asked to consider Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Kansa City, MO or Hospice of Northwest Ohio.

www.egglestonmeinert.com