St. Clair County Obits

JAMES ROLLIAN FRASURE

Osceola Library Files
Homocide
Following a coroner’s inquest Monday afternoon, the death of James R. Frasure of near Appleton City was ruled death by felony by person or persons unknown.
The coroner’s jury delivered the verdict after brief deliberation following the testimony of three witnesses questioned by Prosecuting Attorney David H. Jackson. Called to testify were Lecil Inskeep, Frasure’s neighbor and employer, and investigating officers Sheriff Shirley Collins and Deputy Terry Cashell.
Frasure was found Saturday afternoon shot to death in the trailer home where he lived about 12 miles northwest of Osceola and near Appleton City. Inskeep discovered the body when he went to check with Frasure who was supposed to be making phone calls for his employer. He saw the body from the door of the trailer and returned to his home about ½ mile from the scene and called law enforcement officers.
Frasure had been shot four times with a .22 calibre weapon at the distance of 2 to 3 feet, possibly from the door of the trailer, according to witnesses. Two of the bullets entered the head, one entered the neck, and the fourth entered the chest and went through the body.
A coroner’s jury was impaneled Saturday afternoon and taken to view the body. The six jurors and one stand-by were chosen from Osage Township. After viewing the body, they were dismissed to reconvene on Monday for the inquest.
A laboratory report given during the inquest proved that it could not have been a case of suicide since it would have been impossible for the victim to have fired all four of the shots. The shot that entered the temple was determined to be the shot that ultimately caused Frasure’s death, according to the report.
The body was taken to the Sac-Osage Hospital for X-rays to trace the paths of the four bullets that killed Frasure, and then taken to the Goodrich Chapel where an autopsy was performed.
The 48-year-old bulldozer operator lived alone on a farm near his employer. The time of death was not stated, but one witness testified to seeing Frasure at 9 p.m. the Friday night preceding his death.
Two guns were found in the trailer, but neither was the one used to fire the fatal shots. One was a 270 calibre rifle and was found lying on top of the divan. The other was an old single barrel shotgun which was underneath the divan. The search for the murder weapon has been unsuccessful, and at this time, the Sheriff’s Department is not holding anyone for questioning in the case.
Sheriff Shirley Collins stated that robbery apparently was not a motive for the crime. About $76 in cash was found in Frasure’s billfold, and the contents of the trailer were not bothered.
Funeral services for James R. Frasure were held Tuesday at the Goodrich Chapel. A complete obituary appears in the obituary section of the paper.


Obituary
James R. Frasure, 1974
Funeral services were held June 25 at two o’clock at Goodrich Chapel for James Rollian Frasure, who died June 21 at the age of 48 years, nine months and 20 days.
Officiating at the service was Rev. Jack Kiefer. Gavin Fenwick, soloist, was accompanied by Allen Marr.
Pallbearers were Lecil Inskeep, Jack Hudgens, Carol Bartimus, Sam Masten, J.W. Marshall and James Huffman. Interment was made in the Appleton City Cemetery.
Mr. Frasure, only son of Maggie Garrison Frasure and Rollian Frasure, was born Sept. 1, 1925, at Corbin, Mo. He spent most of his childhood on a farm south of Johnson City.
During his boyhood days he attended the Mt. Zion Methodist church and Washington rural school. He was graduated from Roscoe High School in 1944.
Shortly after graduation he was inducted into the United States Army and served in the Luzon area of the Philippines with General Douglas McArthur’s First Army of World War II.
For a time he was married to Arline Hays and they lived for several years on Mr. Frasure’s boyhood place.
Preceding him in death were his mother in 1953 and his father in 1973.
Survivors are four sisters, Thelma Wyatt, Greenwood, Mo., Naida Fenwick, Adrian, Wanda Frost, Butler, and Mary Lou Wishard, Warsaw; three nieces and five nephews.

Note: Appleton City Cemetery records list: James R. Frasure, born 1 September 1925; died 21 June 1974.