Ernest Charles "Shine" Williamson

Ernest Charles “Shine” Williamson, age 78, of Grants Pass, died Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at Three Rivers Community Hospital.

A funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m., Monday, December 20, 2010 at Assembly of God Church in Glendale with Pastor Terry Bess officiating. Interment will be Glendale Memorial Cemetery. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Shine was born January 10, 1932 in Bell Farm, Kentucky to Frederick Douglas & Fannie Mae Williamson the 9th of 11 children. With his family he moved to Rock Creek, Tennessee then to Glendale, Oregon in 1946 where they settled. He attended Glendale High School. In 1950 he started working at Hayward Mill and then loaded logs on freight cars for Robert Dollar Mill. In September 1951 he enlisted in the United States Army and served in the Korean War. He was a decorated war hero having received numerous medals for his bravery including three Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, and one presented to him by Greg Walden in early 2000. After his discharge from the military he started his own logging business, S&D Logging as well as climbed for other businesses. In 1966 he married June Laverne Brainard and together they had two children, Shane Frederick and Darren Charles. They later divorced. After 42 years in the logging industry he owned and operated Better Spenders, a company that manufactured logging suspenders. In 1990 he moved to Grants Pass.

He especially enjoyed his family, but most of all his grandchildren; they were everything to him. He was an avid tree climber and competed in many competitions; winning most of them. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, and camping. He owned his own plane and enjoyed flying with his family. He enjoyed Bluegrass and Country music and playing the guitar, mandolin, and piano. He loved singing and dancing, but most of all telling a good story. In recent years he met his loving companion, Dorothy Sims who brightened his life.

He was a member of the Elks Lodge.

Survivors include two sons, Shane Williamson and Darren Williamson both of Grants Pass, Oregon; four grandchildren, Sara, Joel, Shane, and Seth; and two sisters, Thelma Webber of Glendale, Oregon and Glenna McCaslin of Grants Pass, Oregon.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Ed, Buck, Dave, Dan, and Trece; and three sisters, Anna Blanche, Winnie, and Angie.