ROBESON, James “Jim” III of Midlothian, VA, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, departed this life on February 20, 2020, at the age of 81. He was born on November 14, 1938, in Tar Heel, Bladen County, North Carolina, and attended public schools in North Carolina, Williamsburg, Virginia, and Rockville, Maryland, where he graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in June of 1957. He accepted a Congressional Appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, Long Island, New York, in August of that year. After graduation from the Academy in June of 1961, Jim worked aboard various ships of The U.S. Lines and Grace Lines Shipping Companies. During the first 15 years after graduation from the Academy he served in the United States Naval Reserve, USNR-R, before being Honorably Discharged as Lieutenant Commander on September 27, 1976. Jim started his 49 year distinguished career in Private Industry in April 1963, working as a Professional Mechanical Engineer for such notable Companies as Allied Chemical Corp. in Hopewell, VA; O’Sullivan Corp. in Winchester, VA; Merchants Metals, Inc. in Birmingham, AL.; The VisQueen Division of Ethyl Corp. in Richmond, VA; Industrial TurnAround Corp. in Hopewell, VA; and Infilco Degremont Corp. in Richmond, VA.
Jim performed his public service with the Jaycees and the Lions Club. He was Past President of the Richmond Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and was a member of the J.E.B. Stuart Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He and his wife, Frances, were very active in Republican Politics and Jim was Past Vice President of the Frederick County of VA Republican Committee, President of the 17th Legislative District of VA, and a long term member of the Chesterfield County of the VA Republican Committee. He was an avid woodworker, and enjoyed quail and deer hunting, as well as fishing for smallmouth bass with a fly rod on the James River. Jim was very proud of his family and his family heritage, as well as his Merchant Marine Academy alma mater. He enjoyed researching and documenting his family history.
Jim is preceded in death by his loving wife of 55 years, Frances. He is survived by their daughters, Susan Maria Richardson (Jeff) and Pamela Frances Vaughan; and granddaughters, Rachel Maria Richardson, Ashley Frances Richardson, and Mariah Lynne Miller. He is also survived by two sisters, Emily Hubbard of Greenville, SC, and Sallie Ormsby of Wilmington, NC.
The family will greet friends at the Woody Funeral Home, 1020 Huguenot Rd., Midlothian, VA, on Wednesday, February 26, 6 to 8 p.m. His funeral will be at Saint Jude’s Reformed Episcopal Anglican Church, 8102 Ridge Rd., Richmond VA, on Thursday, February 27 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at the church. A burial service will follow the reception at 2 p.m., in Hollywood Cemetery, 412 S. Cherry St., Richmond, VA.
