James "Jimmy" Wilson Wooten

James “Jimmy” Wilson Wooten passed away on the 15th of July 2025, at the age of 68, in Houston, Texas, after a short but courageous fight with an aggressive form of cancer. His beloved wife of 44 years, Melinda, was by his side.

Jimmy was born on the 18th of November 1956, in Houston, the youngest of four boys — he would later joke that his mother cried in the hospital because he was “supposed” to be a girl. Jimmy loved growing up in their rambunctious house, and their funny and often wild adventures became family legends for his children, nieces and nephews. Did they really waterski behind the jeep in the flooded roadside ditches of their neighborhood?

Jimmy graduated from Lee High School, after first meeting Melinda on a Young Life ski trip. Together, they attended the University of Texas, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering.

Jimmy and Melinda married at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston on the 31st of January 1981. They soon moved to Austin where Jimmy began his career with his brother Bryan, developing commercial properties. While in Austin they welcomed their son, Robert, in 1984, and their daughter, Ellen, in 1986. In 1988, Jimmy, Melinda, and their two children returned to Houston, where he built a career as a homebuilder and contractor.

An avid outdoorsman, Jimmy loved bird hunting in South Texas and fishing on the Texas coast. He rarely passed up the chance to ski — water or snow — and even in his later years, could out-ski just about anyone, despite what his brothers may contend. A defining part of his childhood was summers at Camp Longhorn, where he was a lifetime camper and later a counselor. Now he can smile down on his grandchildren as they follow in this family tradition. Nothing brought Jimmy more joy than time spent with Melinda, their children, and his beloved grandchildren, Davey (11), Reid (8), Wade (7), Wyatt (5), and Ryan (2) — especially at their second home in Port O’Connor, Texas.

Jimmy was the kind of man who made everyone feel at ease. He leaves behind a big family and countless friends who will remember him for his quiet and often quirky sense of humor, kindness, and the way he made life feel just a little more fun.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Lou Wooten, and his sister-in-law, Sherri. He is survived by Melinda; their son, Robert (Jennifer), and daughter, Ellen Dixon (Max); grandchildren, Davey, Reid, Wade, Wyatt, and Ryan; and brothers Bryan, Harris (Jill), and Timm (Suzanne). Other surviving family members include his sister-in-law Patty Brown (Mont), as well as many loving nieces, nephews, and extended family, who each held a special place in Jimmy’s heart.

The family would like to thank the compassionate doctors and staff at MD Anderson for their exceptional care during Jimmy’s final months.

A memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 29th of July, at Saint Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston. Immediately following, all will be invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in in Bagby Parish Hall.

For those unable to attend the service in person, virtual attendance may be accessed by selecting the "Join Livestream" icon in the service section below.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made in Jimmy’s memory to CCA Texas, 6919 Portwest Dr., Suite 100, Houston, TX 77024 or online at https://ccatexas.org/donate, or Texas Hearing Institute, 3100 Shenandoah St., Houston, TX 77021 or online at www.texashearing.org, or St. Julian of Norwich, 3823 Brushy Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613 or online at https://stjuliansaustin.org.

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