Alexander James "A.J." McLaurin

Alexander James “Jim or AJ” McLaurin, a fifth generation Texan, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2015 at age 88. He was born July 10, 1926 in Tonkawa, OK to Thomas Hugh McLaurin and Lois Sutton McLaurin, the only son and second of four children. Although the McLaurin family homesteaded in San Augustine, Texas, Jim was born in Oklahoma, where his father was working in the oil fields. They returned to San Augustine, where Jim spent his boyhood. His father died after a long illness when Jim was only nine years old, leaving his family without a provider in the midst of the Great Depression. The family was divided up between relatives while Jim’s mother went back to school in Denton and got her BS in order to pursue a teaching career to support her family. They moved to Perrin, TX, where she taught home economics and Jim attended high school.

After graduation, he enrolled at Texas A&M as a cadet and studied Chemical Engineering. Following his freshman year, he and his fellow cadets were drafted into active service in WWII. Jim was with the First Cavalry and was deployed to Europe as a private--fortunately landing there on VE day. He spent 16 months in Germany, notably as a Staff Sargent at the Nuremberg Trials. Upon returning to the US, he resumed his studies and graduated with a BS in chemical engineering in 1949. After graduation he moved to west Texas and sold ball valves. He remained in the Army Reserves and was called up in October, 1950 as a First Lieutenant and arrived in Korea in September 1951. Shortly after arriving in Korea, he was wounded by mortar shrapnel at the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. He was evacuated to Japan, where he spent three months recovering. After his recovery he managed a PX in Japan until his return to the states. He left active duty in August, 1952 and was discharged from the reserves as a Second Lieutenant in June, 1953.

After the war he came to Houston, where he met his future wife, Joyce Ross, and went to work for the Fluor Corporation as a process engineer. They were married April 18, 1953 and had two sons in short order: Ross and Scott. Jim had a successful career with Fluor, becoming a project manager and eventually Vice President of Project Management. He oversaw the design and construction of gas plants, refineries and chemical plants worldwide. As a result, the family lived in Houston, Boston, London and Kuwait. Jim became a widower in 1982 when Joyce died of cancer. He retired from Fluor in 1983 and avidly pursued his passions of fishing and hunting, which his busy career had denied him the opportunity to indulge. Jim married his second wife, Gloria Navaille Morris, on December 6, 1986. Gloria’s six children and their families adopted Jim as their “JimPa.” Jim and Gloria enjoyed their 28 year marriage and retirement together, traveling and being actively involved in the lives of their families.

Jim and Gloria have been involved in the Catholic Church as long time members of St. Cecilia Catholic Community and then St. Michael’s. Jim is survived by his wife, Gloria, and her family, as well as his three sisters and their families: Anna Dale Nagy of San Diego, Ca, Virginia Mackey of Danville, Ca and Elizabeth Timms of Austin, Tx. He is also survived by his son, Scott Sutton McLaurin, MD of Houston and his son Christopher, as well as Jim’s older son, Ross Alexander McLaurin and his wife Renee Leseman McLaurin of Houston, and their daughter and her husband Rachel Leigh and Alex Pugh of Greenville, SC and their son and his wife Jason Ross and Lauren Veitschegger McLaurin of San Antonio and their children (great grandchildren of Jim) Claire and Anna.

Jim was a kind, unassuming man, known for his honesty, sweet disposition and good humor. He served his country and his family well and will be missed. A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, April 20, 2015 at 11:00am at St. Cecilia Church, 11720 Joan of Arc Drive, Houston, TX and will be presided over by the Most Reverent Bishop Vincent M. Rizzotto. A visitation at will be held at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, on Sunday, April 19 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm; a prayer vigil will be held at 7:00pm.