James “Jim” Askew, 74, went to his heavenly home on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, with his wife, Linda, and his daughter LeAnn holding his hand.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at the Chapel of the Pines in Parkhill Cemetery, Columbus, Ga. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, at Striffler-Hamby, Macon Road, Columbus, Ga.

Mr. Askew was born Dec. 1, 1942, in Shiloh, Ga., the son of the late Thomas Wallace Askew, Americus, Ga., and the late Zelle Ross Askew Rowland and stepfather, the late Raymond M. Rowland of Columbus, Ga; his late grandmother, Ozella R. Ross, Americus, Ga. He also had a special dog, Whiskers, who was his companion and friend, who passed away in October 2016.

Survivors include his wife Linda Lowery Askew; daughter Linda LeAnn Askew LaFollette; son-in-law Thomas LaFollette; granddaughters, Ashlyn LaFollette, and Madison LaFollette; sister Nancy Rowland Davenport; brother, Jack Rowland (Loree); nephew Michael Davenport (Heather); and nieces Karen Davenport Gilstrap (Tommy), Brooke Rowland Erwin (Chris), and Bobbie Jo Rowland Gillman (Marcus); and special cousins Jim Littlefield, Sondra Littlefield, and Bess Speers of Americus, Ga.

Jim spent his early years in Americus, Ga., and moved to Columbus in 1954. He attended Edgewood and Clubview elementary schools, graduated from Columbus High School, attended Columbus College, and graduated from Georgia Southern. Music was a big part of his life. He began playing trombone in the elementary school band and played trombone in the Columbus High School Marching Band and Concert Band. At Columbus College, he sang tenor in the Columbus College Choir.

He was a bi-vocational music director at several Columbus churches to include Gentian Baptist Church, his home church, as well as Beallwood Baptist Church and Eastern Heights Baptist Church. He also enjoyed operating the sound for several churches and groups to include Gentian Baptist Church and the Columbus College BSU Choir. He was also active in the Gentian PTA at Gentian Elementary School during the time his daughter attended and his granddaughters attended.

He was employed for 25 years with the Muscogee County School District and was purchasing director when he retired in 2007. In his early career, he was print shop manager and purchasing director with Royal Crown Cola.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Mr. Askew’s memory be sent to a Memorial Fund at Gentian Baptist Church, 3853 Gentian Blvd., Columbus GA 31907.