The Rev. Norman Lee Jameson, 81, of Mount Olive died at 11:15AM on Friday, May 8, 2009, at Memorial Medical Center.
He was born May 10, 1927, in Kenosha, WI, the son of Lyle Jameson and Freda Smelcer; they preceded him in death. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Boon on March 22, 1952, at East Side Baptist Church in Crawfordsville, IN; she died on April 15, 1998. He later married Theresa "Terry" Abel McCain on April 24, 1999, at First Baptist Church in Mount Olive, by the Rev. Ed Fogle; she survives.
He is survived by: his wife, Terry; a son, the Rev. Larry (Linda) Jameson of Mount Morris; a daughter, Joy (Terry) Bates of Newburgh, IN; four stepsons, James (Claudia) McCain of Macomb, Patrick (Rosemary) McCain of Decatur, Mark McCain (companion, Paula Seriji) of Staunton, and Joe (Danita) McCain of Witt; two stepdaughters, Barbara (David) Conant of Witt and Debra (Russ) Grote of Marengo, IN; eight grandchildren; 14 step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and 16 great-step-grandchildren.
Norman graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School in Kenosha, WI, with the class of 1945. He then attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, and graduated with the class of 1951, with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible. He took correspondence courses for two years at Southwestern Seminary.
He was a member and former pastor of the First Baptist Church in Mount Olive and recently taught the Wednesday night Bible study. Norman was a pastor and missionary for 62 years. He baptized 1,089 people. He pastored in five states: Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois at 11 churches. He was involved in five major new church building programs and started six missions, five of which became full-time churches. He preached in all 50 states and all the Canadian provinces. His mission work took him to the Holy Land, Egypt, Rome and Brazil. He was director of missions in the Alton Baptist Association, now called the Gateway Baptist Association.
Visitation will be held from 6:00PM to 8:00PM on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at Becker and Son Funeral Home (221 S. Poplar St., Mount Olive), with a prayer service led by the Rev. Gary Schwab beginning at 8:00PM. There will also be a visitation from 9:00AM until the time of funeral services at 11:00AM on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at Heartland Baptist Church (4500 Humbert Rd., Alton), with the Rev. Andre Dobson officiating. Burial will be at Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto. The Rev. Ed Fogle will lead the committal services at graveside.
Pallbearers will be grandchildren, Robbie, Ryan and Jonathan Stricklin, David and John Jameson, and Paul Costreva. Honorary pallbearers will be stepchildren, James, Patrick, Mark and Joe McCain.
A lunch will be provided for family and friends at the Heartland Baptist Church in Alton following the services.
Memorials may be made to the Baptist Foundation Scholarship Fund or the First Baptist Church in Mount Olive.
Published by The State Journal-Register from May 11-12, 2009.