Jamison, Royce P. (Rastus)

Royce Parker (Rastus) Jamison, 90, of Pembroke departed this life Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at Carilion Giles Community Hospital in Pearisburg, after a long illness. Born in Pembroke on October 4, 1921, he was a son of the late Joseph and Ora Maynard Jamison. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart and wife, Olga Swallow Jamison; his parents; his sisters, Gladys Jamison, Eula Mae Williams, Mildred Pack, and “Tootsie” Britts; and his brothers Bud, Bill, and Jack Jamison. Rastus was a Christian gentleman, a faithful member of Pembroke First United Methodist Church, a veteran of the United States Army, World War II, a member of Castle Rock Lodge AF& AM, a member of American Legion Post 311 in Pembroke, and a member of the Pembroke Ruritan Club. For over 33 years, he was the beloved funeral director in the Pembroke Community, as manager of Williams-Jamison Funeral Home, now Kendall Funeral Home, and he was the owner of Jamison Hardware for over twenty years, and had previously managed Williams Brothers Grocery Store. He leaves to cherish his memory his son and daughter-in-law, Glenn P. “Skipper” and Kathie Skinner Jamison, of Wichita Falls, Texas; his grandsons, Andy and his wife, Vanessa Jamison, of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Brandon P. Jamison, of Everett, Wash.; his partner in business and “other son”, Eddie and his wife, Fern Kendall and their family, of Pembroke; his sister-in-law, Ottie Jamison, of Pembroke; and a host of friends and neighbors and his church family who loved him. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 25, 2012, in the Pembroke First United Methodist Church, with Pastor Rob Lough and Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the Kendall Funeral Home, 605 Snidow St., Pembroke, Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Floral offerings are welcome, as well as memorial contributions to Pembroke First United Methodist Church. A special thanks to the caregivers who took such loving care of him in his last months, to his doctors and medical staff, to his faithful church family, and all his friends who made his life easier during his illness. Online condolences may be sent by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.