Col. Zim E. Lawhon

Col. Zim E Lawhon (USA-Ret.), 98, of Scranton, Pa., died early Friday morning, April 7, 2017, surrounded by family members. Born Aug. 2, 1918, in Yoakum, Texas, he was the son of the late Brig. Gen. Zim E. Lawhon and Gertrude Arnold Lawhon. Zim, known affectionately as "the Colonel," is survived by his devoted wife, Patricia Patton. They recently celebrated 72 years of marriage.

Zim grew up as an only child in an Army family and graduated from Princeton University in 1940. He received his Master of Science degree in nuclear chemistry from Princeton in 1951. He served as an Army officer in the Chemical Corps for 30 years.

In January 1945, he was deployed to Europe with the 86th Infantry Division (the Blackhawks). His division's combat operations included the encirclement of the Ruhr Pocket that resulted in the capture of more than 300,000 enemy troops and the liberation of the Attendorn civilian forced-labor camp. Zim and the Blackhawks were pursuing troops in the mountains of Bavaria when Germany surrendered. After a brief visit home, Zim was shipboard at Enewetak Atoll, heading for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He served for two years in the Philippines immediately afterward, training Philippine units and serving on the Manilla War Crimes Commission.

The Army assigned Zim and his growing family to many posts, including Stuttgart, Germany. His last assignment was professor of military science at the University of Scranton. In 1970, he became the registrar at the university until his retirement in 1990.

A devout Catholic, Zim, with his wife Patricia, was the proud parent of 13 children, 19 grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren. He was a volunteer instructor for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. His hobbies included Scouting, piloting and traveling. In his retirement, he volunteered for the University of Scranton, Mercy Hospital and Meals on Wheels.

He will be missed dearly by his children, Elizabeth Torresson of Ashburn, Va.; Jane Lawhon and Suzanne Shanbaum, of Sebastopol, Calif.; Zim Lawhon and Jen Shields, of Scranton; Jack and Ninh Lawhon, of San Francisco; gretchen Lawhon and Robert Liptock, of Philadelphia; Bridget Lawhon and Dixie Nicholson, of San Pablo, Calif.; Martha Lawhon, of Corpus Christi, Texas; Mary Lawhon Triano and Paul Triano, of Scranton; Patricia Lawhon, of Scranton; Kate Lawhon and Bunny LaDouceur, of Frederick, Md.; Rachel and Ed Powers, of South Portland, Maine; Rebecca Lawhon and Leticia Chapa, of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Jim Lawhon and Meg Wynne, of Mamaroneck, N.Y. He will also be missed by his grandchildren, Thomas Torresson, Elizabeth Leon, Erin Lawhon Kania, Sarah Lawhon Carvellas, Zim Eric Lawhon, Kevin Lawhon, Andrew Lawhon, Nicholas Lawhon, Daniel Lawhon Liptock, Ben Lawhon Liptock, Erica Samuel, Rebecca Triano, Sarah Triano, Martha Triano, Kevin Powers, Patrick Powers, Sam Lawhon, Matt Lawhon and Katie Lawhon. He is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and friends in the community.

Funeral services will be held at St. Paul's Church at 1510 Penn Ave. in Scranton at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, with a viewing at the McGoff-Hughes Funeral Home at 1401 Capouse Ave., Scranton, on Monday, April 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis Commons Veterans Program at 504 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18509.