James R. Rothwell

James (Jim) Rothwell, age 81, passed away on Monday, September 16, 2024, surrounded by his family. Born August 26, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio. Preceded in death by his wife Bonnie ‘Lou’, daughter Kelli Abshire; parents, James N. and Betty Rothwell; sister, Nancy Bartholomew and In-Laws, Charles and Edna Higginbotham.

He is survived by daughters, Kimberly (Steve) Eckert of Gahanna and Theresa (Jack) Sturgeon of Danville and Son-In-Law, Ken Abshire of Whitehall. He was Papaw to seven Grandchildren, Ashley (Matt) Parks, Ryan Eckert, Kaitlyn and Kyle Abshire, Christopher, Dylan and Savannah Walker; and three Great-Grandchildren, Kori, Jamie and Samuel Parks; brothers, Clarence (Dolores), Robert (Wanda) and John (Paula).

Jim served in the U.S. Army from 1961-1967 then started a career in public service first as a Paramedic for the Whitehall Fire Department then as a Police Officer and Detective for the Upper Arlington Police Department until his retirement in 1995. Jim loved law enforcement and the law. He was an unofficial law scholar as he could cite the ORC for any infraction. He watched every Cop show ever made and could be found sitting in his chair watching Blue Bloods daily. Jim’s other notable skill was that he was the family GPS. He could give directions, to and from, any place in Columbus better than any navigational device, however, you better know which way was North, South, East and West.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 20, 2024, from 11am-1pm with the funeral service starting at 1pm at the Reynoldsburg Church of the Nazarene, 1340 Crest Road, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Interment following at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Get Behind the Badge, 538 South Yearling Road, Suite 103, Columbus, OH 43213, to continue providing emotional and financial assistance to the families of First Responders, both law enforcement and fire, killed in the line of duty.

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