James F. Sansom

James Jim Franklin Sansom passed away Saturday, August 23, 2014. He was born September 15, 1921, in Evansville, Indiana. He moved to North Carolina during World War II when he was stationed at old Camp Butner. He served sixteen months in Europe as a combat medic, including four months as a prisoner of war after being captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. He earned his Combat Medics Badge, serving in four major battles. His awards include the Bronze Star, the Victory World War II Medal, American Campaign Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, Eastern-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the French Legion of Honor Medal. He was a proud member of the American Legion Post 67 of Cary.Jim has been a printer for most of his adult life. He learned the trade in high school in Indiana and worked for a number of Raleigh printing firms before joining the News and Observer / Raleigh Times in 1963. Jim has seen a revolution in printing, playing an active role in the transition from hot to cold type. It was while at Camp Butner; he met his first wife, the former Mozelle Langston of Apex, NC. They married in 1945, the year he was discharged from the Army. Mozelle was the mother of his children, Michael and Sarah. Mozelle died in 1986.In 1987, he married Beulah Bea Norton Jones. Beulah Sansom died in 2006. He devoted a major amount of time to church work. He taught Sunday School classes at Triangle Correctional Center and Womens Prison as well as the Raleigh Rescue Mission. He was one of the founders of the Raleigh Rescue Mission in 1961, serving on the Board of Directors for many years as Board Member Emeritus.In 2011, he married Donna P. Long. They enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. He, along with Donna, were members of White Plains United Methodist Church.Surviving are son Michael (Donna) Sansom of Raleigh and their children, Christopher Sansom, Jennifer Foster (Luke), great grandchildren, Emma and Ashe, all of Raleigh; daughter, Sarah (Bruce E. Allen) of Port St. Joe, FL. their children, Amber Butler (Corey Butler), great grandson, Jonah of Port St. Joe, FL, Major Jason E. Allen (Jennifer) and great grandchildren, Joshua, Jane, Jacob, and Jasmine of Harker Heights, TX, Tamara (Samuel Russell) of Dunedin, FL and great grandchildren Noah, Lily, Elijah, and Micah. Step-children: Donald Hammond, Laura Ann Hammond Budniakiewicz, as well as step-grandchildren, David Budniakiewicz, Josef Budniakiewicz, Daniel Hammond, Jonathan Hammond, Anna Hammond Turchin and step-great grandchildren, Jordyn and Eleanor. Also surviving: Sister: Laura Loffredo of Oregon and many nieces and nephews.Jim was proceeded in death by parents I. M. and Inez Sansom along with a sister Martha and two brothers, George and Donald. Visitation will be held at 10:00 am Friday, August 29, 2014 at White Plains United Methodist Church, 313 SE Maynard Rd., Cary, NC 27511. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 am in the Sanctuary. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Catawba Springs Christian Church, 6801 Ten Ten Rd., Apex, NC 27539. Officiating will be Rev. Ray Warren and Rev. Lee Heathcoat.The family prefers, in lieu of flowers, contributions to be made to The Raleigh Rescue Mission (www.Raleighrescue.org), The White Plains United Methodist Church of Cary (wpumc.com), or Temple Baptist Church, Raleigh (www.templeRaleigh.org).