James was born in Sabinal, Texas on September 29, 1940. He then grew up and attended school in San Antonio, Texas. He came to England with his mother and stepfather, Nora and Travis Wylie, and completed the 9^th and 10^th grades at Burtonwood High School.

 

James married Patricia Granger at the Sealand A.F.B. Chapel on June 1, 1957. James and Pat returned to the States in July of 1957 living first in Welsh, Louisiana for six months with Pat’s mother and brother, Henrietta and Wayne Granger. James worked at various jobs: oil fields, roofing, at the meat locker plant, and finally the meat market in the local grocery store.

 

                                            

Jim and Pat moved to San Antonio, Texas to be with his family after learning that his brother Donald had terminal cancer. Donald had stayed in the states with his father but joined his mother and stepfather when they returned. Donald died at the young age of 14 years in 1958.

“Donald, James, and grandfather” Reunion 1957 Hope, Arkansas

 

 Jim continued his meat cutting career at “Handy Andy” grocery stores in San Antonio for 18 years. He was the youngest Market Manager Handy Andy ever had. Jim was the recipient several times of the “New Dollar Bill Award” for outstanding courtesy and friendliness. The grocery store’s business was declining so Jim went to work for “Poor Boy, Inc.” located in Boerne, Canyon Lake, and Wimberly,  Texas.He worked for them for 5 years. The grocery store chain was then taken over by Fleming Foods and he continued working for them the next three years. The highlight of his career came when they sent him to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to attend Phase I at the Meat Management Institute.

 

“Co-worker, Little Oscar, and James in front of the Oscar Meyer wiener mobile”

 

 

Jim was always a very popular man. He loved people. He liked to go to Western Dances. He loved to entertain friends and family at home. He was a good cook. He loved to barbecue and made excellent spaghetti and chili with beans. He liked to go dove hunting  -  more for the camaraderie than the sport. He also made good deer sausage.

                                      

 

Jim was the father of three children; Betty, Linda, and Larry whom he loved very much, and the grandfather of five whom he thoroughly enjoyed. We now have six grandchildren. We enjoyed 28 years together.

 

 “Little red dune buggy and first grandchild”

 

Jim had two motorcycles during his lifetime just for fun. After the children were grown, Jim had a red dune buggy which he had fun with. He loved to drive us to our oldest daughter’s home for visits. He was a gun collector and even made a flint strike pistol from a kit. He had a CB (citizens band) radio at the house which he enjoyed talking on. He was very proud of his well kept lawn which he enjoyed.

  

“Jim with Axis deer”

 

We lived in San Antonio for ten years before moving out to the country on 15 acres six miles north of Boerne. We enjoyed being out in the country with all the wildlife. We have raised chickens, pigs, cows, and now only Spanish goats.

 

                 “Jim at home in the country”            

 

Jim enjoyed good health until he developed lung cancer. He had surgery to remove one lung and then radiation and cobalt treatments. After it began to spread to his spine they began chemotherapy, but it spread to his brain. He battled cancer for seven months before it took his life on July 19, 1985 at the age of 44. He enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.