James P. ""Jim Carnes

CARNES, JAMES P. ""Jim"", 81, of Coldspring, passed away Thursday, January 8, 2015 in Humble. He was born October 25, 1933 in Goose Creek, TX, of Ersie Holder and Cager Hoyt ""Tex"" Carnes. In the spring of 1946, during his seventh grade year at Horace Mann, he was riding in a car with both of his parents at Post Oak Road and Katy Highway in west Houston when their car was struck by a train killing both of his parents and ejecting him from the car. He and his sister Sherrill were raised by his grandparents, uncles, and aunts. Living 55 years beyond the 26-year life expectancy given to him in the summer of 1946, he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1952 and played in the 1951 State Finals game in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas in freezing weather. He attended Victoria Junior College on a football scholarship where he was President of the Student Council and graduated from Texas A&M in 1958 with a Mechanical Engineering degree and enlisted in the United States Navy. He started his working career as an engineer at HL&P, from there moving to USI/National Distillers and ultimately retiring from Brown & Root where he spent a majority of his career managing projects at Exxon Baytown, the pipeline in Deadhorse, AK, and refineries in Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Trinidad, as well as refurbishing the launch pads in Cape Canaveral. His hobbies included sailing, painting, and designing and building his homes. He and his wife, Dolores, retired to Coldspring Terrace in Coldspring, Tx, where he served on the Homeowner's Association Board and was active in the community.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Dolores Aucoin Carnes; sister, Sherrill Carnes Chaffin, uncle, Prentice Holder; children, Dwayne Carnes, Carolyn Carnes Clay, Keith Carnes, Cheryl Carnes Houghton and Amy Carnes Peck, their spouses, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ersie and Cager ""Tex"" Carnes, his grandparents, Bula and Fred Holder and the mother of his children, Eileen Eilers Carnes.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at Navarre Funeral Home with Father Jim Courville officiating.

In lieu of flowers his family requests that everyone hug your family and hold them close.

To view his online obituary, or post a tribute to his family, go to www.navarrefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, Texas 77521, (281) 422-8111.