COLONEL JIM FEATHERSTON US ARMY James W."Jim" Featherston, 89, Rosebud, MO, died August 14, 2012.

Jim was born near Doniphan, July 3, 1923. His aircrew flew in the 8th Army Air Force during World War II.

He continued serving his country in the Army Reserve for more than 30 years. Jim graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College and The Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Memberships include: life member of The Southeast Missouri Sportsman's Club, VFW Post 6133, Order of Eastern Star Chapter 414, and he was raised to Master Mason in the Doniphan Masonic Lodge in 1948, and later moved his membership to the Owensville Masonic Lodge 624.

Jim is survived by his wife Donna.

Also surviving are four children, Ronald B. Featherston, Texas; Helene F. Cagle, Dexter; Jon R. Featherston, Kansas City, and George W. Bufford, Rosebud. Also surviving is one sister, Lois Madsen, Binghamton, NY, many grand children and great-grand children, nieces and nephews.

His parents, brothers Charles and Gene, and sisters Clarice, Veta and Dorothy, preceded him in death. Jim was elected sheriff of Ripley County, Missouri, in 1948.

In his lifetime he was a conservation agent, army officer, business manager, editor, realtor, college instructor, naturalist, herbalist and writer. His book, Reflections Along the Current, Tales of the Ozarks, was first published in 1984, followed by a second edition in 1989. Jim was continually writing and has several unpublished books.

He and Donna began writing as a team and have published booklets of wild critter verse, herbs and hundreds of articles, with nature or history themes. Jim's love of writing started when he was in high school. He became a "printer's devil" for the local Doniphan Prospect-News during the 1930s. His stories have also been published in his hometown newspaper, The Gasconade County Republican, The River Hills Traveler, The Ozarks Mountaineer, The Missouri Conservationist and a variety of other publications.

Jim had a lifelong love for writing and teaching. When he wasn't writing, he and Donna taught classes in several community colleges and Shaw's Nature Reserve on the use of herbs for medicinal purposes.