James Prettyman

James (Jim) Rodney Prettyman passed away on December 9th, 2024 at the age of 75 at Baylor, Scott, and White Hospital, Round Rock, Texas due to cancer. He was the proud father of James Prettyman, Jr., and Grandfather to James (JJ) Prettyman III, and Leticia Prettyman. He was the brother of Kay (Prettyman) Wood, and step-sister Paula Prettyman; step- brothers: Kenneth, Delbert, and Gerald Prettyman. He was husband of 53 years to Mary (McDougal) Prettyman.

Jim was born in Boise, Idaho at St. Lukes Hospital. His parents E. Vivian (Dellinger), and Henry Kenneth Prettyman had moved to Idaho from Kansas. They moved back to Kansas when Jim was a toddler, and Jim grew up in Kansas.

Jim became an Eagle Scout at the age of 14. He received badges for 100 hikes, as well as, many other things. He participated in a Wilderness Canoe Trip. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s National Honor Society. He was always very proud of his time,with the Boy Scouts.

Jim graduated from Louisburg High School in 1967, and started University life at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. His education was interrupted by the Marine Corps. After he was discharged from the Corp, he returned to the University of Kansas to continue his education. At the University, he met and married Mary McDougal at the UnitedMethodist Church in Beagle, Kansas.

He and Mary moved to Tempe, Arizona shortly after being married in 1971. Jim graduated from Arizona State University, School of Architecture. Jim worked with various Architect’s offices in Phoenix, Arizona, as well as, for the Arizona State Department of Corrections, and Arizona State Fire Marshall’s Office. He embraced fatherhood with the birth of James, Jr. in 1980. Jim’s last job in Phoenix was inspecting buildings for fire insurance purposes for Insurance Services Office.

January of 1991, Jim transferred to Greensboro, North Carolina with Insurance Services Office. In 2003, he was disabled due to a bicycle accident. He and Mary continued to live in Greensboro, NC until 2019 when they moved to Round Rock, Texas.

Over the years, Jim did a lot of hiking. He climbed some of the mountain areas in Arizona. He hiked rim to rim in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. He hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina, and Virginia.

He also enjoyed running in 5, and 10Ks, and riding his bicycle. At one point, he owned and operated a bicycle shop with a motorcross bicycle team. He did do some local competitions on a dirt track. James Jr., also joined in the races on a big wheel.

Later on in North Carolina, he rode his bike across North Carolina, in the Cycle North Carolina ride. Cycle North Carolina is a 7 day Mountains to the Coast ride of 450 to 500 miles.

Jim had more hobbies: gardening, photography, wood carving, model trains, gold panning, reclaiming metals in a forge, target shooting guns, and bows and arrows and more.

In the last few years, he had been building, and flying RC planes, and drones. He belonged to a local club, and was always excited to be out at the field.

Jim is survived by his wife Mary Prettyman, his son and family: James Prettyman, Geisy Saba, JJ Prettyman, and Leticia Prettyman, and his sister Kay Wood, and brother-in-law Brian Gotcher, and step-sister Paula Prettyman and family and step-brother Gerald, andfamily.

Jim absolutely loved his family, his life, and his friends.

There will be a Visitation/Memorial on December 21, 2024, 6:00 to 8:30 pm, at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel, 393 North IH 35, Georgetown, Texas 78627-1727.