Father James E. McGhee

KELLER -- Father James E. McGhee "Father Jim" passed away surrounded by his family on Monday night, April 18, 2016. He died in a hospital room overflowing with family: his wife, all of his children, all of his grandchildren, as well as in-laws and friends, as he would surely have wanted. He had suffered a major stroke the week before.

Service: Mass of a Christian Burial will commence at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2016 Willis Lane, Keller, 76248, with the Very Rev. Msgr. James E. Hart and Father Dennis Smith concelebrating the Mass. The Holy Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Diocese of Fort Worth (or any diocese you love) in support of vocations and seminarians. He loved the priesthood and was humbled and honored to be allowed to serve God as one of His priests.

He was born Nov. 5, 1938, in Kennett, Mo. (in the state's boot heel), to Ralph McGhee and Jimmie Lee McDowell McGhee. Father Jim lived a long and beautiful life, serving God in the Catholic, Episcopalian and Methodist ministries. Before being called by God to the priesthood, he served in the Air Force. He married his high school sweetheart, Hattie Ann Keenum, when he was 18 and she was a cradle-robbing 19. They were married for nearly 60 years (59 this coming August) and truly lived the promise that "the two shall become one." To know one is to know the other as well.

He touched so many lives through his pastoral skills, his sense of humor, and his genuine love of people. He truly lived the message and model of Jesus: He actively loved everyone he met. He loved to talk to people, to subject people to genuinely terrible jokes, to hug people, to care for people, to teach people. He held so many people in his heart - their joys, sorrows, faith and doubts, the enormous and beautifully tiny moments of their lives. It is a miracle his heart didn't burst. Father Jim McGhee survived deep, scarring hardship in his own life, and, with God's help, he transformed this into a life of care, concern, healing and faith for others.

He was a farm boy whose ministry led him through small towns in Mississippi to Dallas, the Panhandle, and Keller. He was a serious, brilliant and devoted scholar and intellect who could explain the greatest theological truths in common, accessible and real language. Jesus taught in parables. Father Jim, likewise, taught through story - stories saturated with his unique, terrible, wonderful, perfect humor. Even more, he taught, as Jesus did, with his life. His words were lovely, deep, often painfully funny, gracefully and quietly and loudly and seemingly effortlessly filled with truth. And his life backed up and embodied his words, speaking even louder.

Survivors: He is survived by his wife (a great and meaningful word, but not nearly big enough), Ann; his children, Janie, Renee' (and Justin/Jason), Robert (and Julie), Mary (and Shannon); his eight grandchildren whom he adored, Courtney, Bryant, Ashley, Emily, Jameson, Matthew, Jeremiah and Cameron; and thousands of people who are better off for crossing paths with him.