Rest In Peace, Mr. Rawl!!

Mr. Rawl & Grands (Undated Photo)

Frances L. Rawl was murdered Tuesday by a young thug who thought it would be easy to rob a 91-year old man. Police say 18-year-old Jesse Ray Lane was arrested at his home in Hopkins around 8:30pm Wednesday. Rawl's grandson, Les Rawl, says he got worried when Rawl didn't show up for work at the family business. Les found the body inside the house. I met Mr. Rawl in 1975. I had moved off campus from USC and worked part-time at WLTX on third shift. The duplexes were close to the TV station furnished and cheap. I could walk to work, which I did. Mr. Rawl and his sister Elizabeth were two of the kindest people you could meet. Why either of them lived on the property in one of the duplexes, we may never know. One thing was for certain, they didn’t have to. They had the money but they chose to live a humble and modest life. He didn’t talk much of his past or family. I knew that he was a former legislator and worked at a golf course. I didn’t know that he owned it! He didn’t drive a fancy car and Ms. Rawl walked everywhere. As landlords, they really cared about the tenants. So if you had a backed up toilet, other problems or even wanted to borrow the lawnmower, they took care of you. Ms. Rawl departed years ago. I pray for the family and Jesse Lane. God bless us all.