GENEVA HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI - Key Persons

He was born April 5, 1944, in Cleveland, the son of Robert J. and Arlene V. (Torok) Harrison and had been a Geneva resident for most of his life before moving to Ashtabula four years ago. Mr. Harrison worked primarily as a machinist for several different companies. A trivia buff, he loved to fish, hand-carving his own fishing lures. Mr. Harrison enjoyed gardening, reading music, movies, collecting antique trinkets, and the Cleveland Indians baseball. He was also an excellent artist. He is survived by his companion of seven years, Jayolene Morgan of Ashtabula; three sons, Hugh Jr. of Chicago, Ill., Neil W. and Kevin R. Harrison, both of Geneva; one grandson, Brandon M. Conacher; four brothers, Robert J. of Oldsmar, Fla., James W. and Gary R., both of Houston, Texas, and Richard L. Harrison of Saybrook Township; four sisters, Ruth Mote, Ellen Harvey, Sherrin Puffenburger, and Lucy Hensley, all of Geneva. He was preceded in death by his parents.

LAKE MILTON - On Saturday, May 28, 2005, after a two-year battle with cancer, Larry C. Pirtle, 59, of Lake Milton, OH, died of complications. He leaves behind his loving wife of 40 years, Marian, 60; four children; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Larry graduated from Geneva High School in 1963, whereupon he married the love of his life, Marian Anthony of Conneaut. Larry and Marian started their family immediately with their first child Lisa Pirtle, 39, and continued the family with Teresa, 38, and husband, Paul Etzler, Chad 34, and wife Laura Pirtle, and Dave Pirtle, 22. Larry followed in the footsteps of his father, Clarence Pirtle, deceased, who was married to Margaret, deceased, and became an elder in the Church of Christ. His church family was very active and important in his life. He was there day and night for all who needed him. They will all miss him dearly. In life lifetime, Larry was a Cleveland sports fan, Boy Scout leader, a Little League coach, a girls' softball coach, a Rotary member, hosted two exchange students from other countries, and took in any troubled teen who landed on his steps. In the peak of the gas crisis in the '70s, he purchased a motor home for the family. By the age of 18, all of his children had seen at least 40 of the 50 states, and his youngest child had been to 12 other countries.

GENEVA - Memorial services for William R. Jamison, Jr. will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at the United Church, 75 S. Broadway, Geneva, with the Rev. Grant McMichaels officiating. Mr. Jamison, 49, died June 21, 1995 at his home in Portland, Ore., due to illness caused by AIDS. A former florist in Jefferson, he was trhe owner of Jamison Thomas Gallery in Portland, which he established in 1980 as the Folk Craft Gallery. Mr. Jamison was also the assistant producer of Artscene with Rogers Cable system in Portland from 1983-1984, and was nationally recognized for his early support of self-taught and young emerging northwest artists. Born December 3, 1945 in Ashtabula, he was the son of William Sr. and Alberta (Thompson) Jamison. He started delivering the Geneva Free Press when he was ten. He belonged to Cub Scout Pack 58, Boy Scout Troop 58, the Geneva chapter of Demolay, and the Freeway Farmers 4-H Club for nine years, leading it for three years. A 1963 graduate of Geneva High School, he worked for Beatty Florist from age 14, eventually buying 80$ of the business and changing the name to Jamison Florist. Mr. Jamison was instrumental in Jefferson's first summer art show and the community's participation in the Ashtabula Flower Show and the first Jefferson birthday sale. He was president of Jefferson Chamber of Commerce in 1968. While in Jefferson, he led an unsuccessful drive to save the historic Benjamin Wade home in Jefferson. He then installed the fireplace from the house into an historic home he restored in Portland, Ore. Mr. Jamison received his Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kent State University in 1970, and a master of fine arts degree there in 1971. He was a member of Delta Psi Omega social fraternity. He moved to Portland in 1974 to teach art at Mount Hood Community College, and started Victoria's Nephew, a coffee and sandwich shop in Yamhill Historic District in Portland. His community service work included commissioner, Metropolitan Arts Commission, Portland, 1989-91; founder and member of Steering Committee, Art/AIDS, Portland, 1987-95; board member, Contemporary Arts Council, Oregon Arts Institute, 1987-89; and board member, Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, 1985-88. His awards included the 1992 Governor's Award for the Arts; 1994 Women in Communications, Dorothea Lensch Award for Contributions to the Arts in Oregon; and 1995 Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Survivors include his companion of 14 years, Bradley Rogers of Portland; his parents of Geneva; two brothers, Thomas Jamison of Milwaukee and Kenneth Jamison of Houston; and four sisters, Virginia Bilicic of Ashtabula, Betty Olsen of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Nancy Patterson of Jefferson, and Margie Boslett of Painesville. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Thomas and Hazel Jamison, and Albert and Anna Thompson, and a step=grandfather, Alfred Quick. Memorials may be made to William Jamison Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, 1219 SW Park, Portland, Ore.97205; William Jamison Lecture Series at the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, 8245 SW Barnes Rd., Portland, 97225; or Art/AIDS Fujnd for AIDS Research & Education, c/o Quarter Saw Gallery, 528 NW 12 th, Portland, 97209. Envelopes will be available at The United Church.