James "Jim" Kinlaw Rosser

James (Jim) Kinlaw Rosser, 96 of Fayetteville, died Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at The N.C. State Veterans Nursing Home.  He was born 6 August 1922, in Cumberland County, the son of James Kelly Rosser and Lou Jane Kinlaw Rosser. He was the oldest of their five children; James, Jane, Donald, Joseph and Ray. After graduating from Stedman High School, he attended the University of North Carolina and received a B.S. in Chemistry in 1943. While a junior at UNC he volunteered for the U.S.  Naval Reserve and was commissioned an Ensign in March 1942. Following his UNC graduation, he served in the Navy at several bases in the United States and in the Philippines, including positions as Officer-in-Charge of a Floating Ammunition Depot, in Leyte Gulf and Executive Officer of the Naval Ammunition Depot, Samar, Philippine Islands. He was released form active duty in August 1946, as a Lieutenant and remained in the Naval Reserve until 1961 when he received an Honorable Discharge.  He went to work as a chemist for Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY in August 1946.  While in Rochester he met Ruth-Marie Schaedlich and they were married in 1949.  In 1950 he took educational leave and returned, with his wife, to graduate school at UNC, Chapel Hill.  He received a M.A. in Chemistry in 1952 and a PhD in Chemistry in 1954. While in graduate school he was awarded the Merrill Pharmaceutical Company Fellowship.  Kodak transferred him to its subsidiary, Tennessee Eastman Company, Kingsport TN in 1954 Jim worked there for 32 years, attaining the rank of Senior Chemist, and retired in 1986. He and his wife have two sons, Frederick and Thomas.  In Kingsport the family attended Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Jim served on the Church Council and was Financial Secretary for 25 years. He was active in Scouting with his sons.  Jim supported his wife in her Lutheran Church of America as she attained various positions and became National (including Canada) President (1974-1977). After retirement Jim and Ruth-Marie moved to Fayetteville. They joined St. James Lutheran Church where Jim served on the Church Council and was Treasurer for nine Years. Jim valued family and his church and always tried to do what was best for them. He was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma Chemical Fraternity, Sigma Xi Scientific Society and American Chemical society (member since 1943).

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. at St. James Lutheran Church, with the Rev. John Locke officiating. Burial will follow in Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery with military honors. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home and 30 minutes prior to the service at the Church. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth-Marie Rosser; daughter-in-law, Jenny Nave Rosser; brothers, Donald, Joseph and Ray.

He is survived by his sons, Frederick W. Rosser and wife Sheila, Thomas B. Rosser; sister, Jane Warfel; several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to St. James Lutheran Church, Memorial Fund,  1424 Morganton Rd. Fayetteville, N.C. 28305.

Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, N.C. 28301.

Online condolences may be submitted at www.jerniganwarren.com

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