Lawrence James

Obituary of Lawrence B. James

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LAWRENCE BERNARD JAMES of Houston died March 24, 2014. He was a generous and outgoing man with a wonderful sense of humor and a ready smile. Larry was born in Houston on March 15, 1923 to John Bernard James and Elizabeth Werner James. There he attended Blessed Sacrament Parish School and graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1940. He later earned a B.A. degree from the University of Houston. A proud veteran, he served in Europe with the U. S. Army from 1944 to 1946. He served again, from 1950 to 1952, during the Korean War and was stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He spent the first part of his professional career, from 1952 to 1964, in the pipeline industry, with Tennessee Gas Transmission Company in Houston and Fish Northwest Pipeline Constructors in Salt Lake City, Utah. From 1964 to 1989 he directed James & Associates, whose services included surveying and civil engineering. In 1990, he returned to pipeline projects with the Iroquois Gas Transmission System in New York State before retiring in 1991 to his home in Houston. In recent years Larry lived at Belmont Village Senior Living Community and later at St. Dominic Village Nursing Home in Houston. He appreciated the kindness and attention of their dedicated staffs. His family is especially grateful to the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Michael E. DeBakey Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Houston, where he received his medical care during the last years of his life. Larry was preceded in death by his parents and by his brothers, Leslie James and Patrick James. He is survived by his former spouse and friend, Frances V. James, and two sons, Stephen and David, of Houston; sister, Rita Fluellen and her husband Reilly of Houston; sister-in-law, Edith James of Houston; nieces, Cameron James Harper of Williams Bay, Wisconsin and Shirley James Lee of Houston; nephews, Charles James of Port Neches, Texas, Robert James and Fred James of San Antonio, Texas, and Walter James of Shreveport, Louisiana. A funeral service followed by interment will be held at 12:00 noon on Friday, March 28, 2014 in the Chapel of the Angels of Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale Street in Houston. There will be a viewing and visitation prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to St. Thomas High School, 4500 Memorial Drive, Houston.