James Edward Preston

James E. Preston James Edward Preston, 81, passed away early Sunday morning, November 12, 2017 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He was born on November 10, 1936 in Cheshire, Ohio to parents Edward S. Preston and Helen (Noble) Preston. He grew up and lived most of his life in Cheshire. As a young boy, he spent countless hours in the plowed fields in and around Cheshire. This started a life-long passion for collecting Native American Indian artifacts. During the course of his lifetime, he had amassed one of the most impressive collections of Indian artifacts and relics in the area. Jim was a prolific reader and student of history, especially that of the Civil War. Some of his favorite destinations were places like Antietam and Chancellorsville. He was a generous member of the Civil War Trust, an organization dedicated to saving endangered Civil War battlefields. Jim graduated from Cheshire High School in 1954, and started his career at the Kyger Creek Power Plant. He retired as a chemist after 43 years of service. He will be fondly remembered as a man with a generous heart, but most of all, he loved his family. He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of 61 years Nancy (Wamsley) Preston; his son Chris (Penny) Preston of Big Horn, WY; his daughters Cindy Preston (Winston) Saunders of Gallipolis, OH; and Lori Preston (David) Campbell of Kennebunk, ME; his beloved granddaughter Ashton Saunders; and step-grandson Tyler Campbell; two sisters Constance Wise of Gallipolis, OH and Sue Jarvis of New Carlisle, OH. Services will be Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 1:00 p.m at The New Life Lutheran Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at noon. Final resting place will be Gravel Hill Cemetery, Cheshire Ohio. Pallbearers will be Chris Preston, Kevin Wise, Eric Jarvis, Winston Saunders, David Campbell and Jess Louden. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to The Civil War Trust, PO Box 17686, Baltimore, MD, 21298.