Vincent E. Rawson

Vincent E. Rawson, age 80, retired corporate lawyer, grandfather, father, and husband, died on May 14, 2009, following complications from heart surgery. He was born Sept. 30, 1928, in Harlan County, Nebraska, to L. (Lorenzo) Wayne Rawson and Grace Marietta Powell Rawson. He was raised with two sisters, Estylene (Russell) and Willamene (Seeman). Vincent was schooled in Orleans, Atlanta, Ragan, & Holdrege, Nebraska. In 1945/46 he won the Nebraska State Health Contest. Vincent served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was stationed at Travis, Shephard, Lackland and Keesler AF bases. In 1951 he was commissioned 'Officer' and joined the 9th Aviation Sqd whose duty was to maintain the Atomic Bomb. These duties were 'Q' clearance and he was not to speak of them until declassification in 1977. He attended the College of Law, University of Nebraska where he met his sweetheart, Marlene Ruth Tiller. Vince received his Bachelor of Laws in 1956 and married Marlene on August 28, 1954. In 1956, Vincent joined the law firm of Watson, Ess, Marshall & Enggas in KC, MO where he practiced worker's compensation law for 40 years. He later formed Slattery & Rawson, P.C. and retired in 2007. Vincent was a member of KC Rotary #13, Town & Country Investors Club, the KC Fine Arts Singles, and Kingswood Mens Group.  He loved to travel with family and friends to destinations around the world.   Vincent is preceded in death by his life partner and wife, Marlene (Tiller) Rawson and his oldest daughter, Renee (Rawson) Melia who fought a courageous five year battle with breast cancer. Vincent is survived by his daughter Sharon Haunschild of Canon City CO, married to Terry Haunschild; and Diana Habkirk of Tenerife, Canary Islands, married to T. Leslie Habkirk; son-in-law Kevin Melia of Kansas City, and his two grandchildren, Chad Haunschild and Allison Melia.  A Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20th from 6 – 8pm. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, May 21st at 10:00 am followed by refreshments at Vincent's villa at noon. Events will be held at DW Newcomer's Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66210 Phone: (913) 451-1860. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association.