After studying physics at Wheaton College, Jim went on to graduate from North Texas State University as well as SMU Law School. Jim and his wife, Lee Ellen Stevens, met at Scofield Memorial church while he was working in Dallas. They were married for 54 years before she passed away in 2020. They raised two children in the Dallas area where Jim worked as a Patent Attorney for the LTV Corporation. Many years later they moved to Clear Lake, Texas when he took a “retirement” job at NASA, where he received many accolades including a Medal for Exceptional Service. He liked to joke that the astronauts were important, but he was the one who patented their discoveries and earned the real money for NASA.
Jim had many hobbies that he embraced whole heartedly. He was a member of the Clear Lake Astronomy Club and traveled to West Texas several times for all night star gazing with the club. He also enjoyed sailing, taking extended trips aboard his boat along the coast of Texas. He worked as a volunteer crew member of the Elissa in Galveston and spent as much time as he could on the water. He and Lee were avid travelers and were fortunate to visit many countries together, but Jim especially loved Paris and visited several times. He also enjoyed collecting stereo equipment, motorcycling, and gardening.
Jim always attended church, Faith Bible Church in Dallas and Clear Lake Presbyterian in Clear Lake. He was intentional about reading the Bible and the newspaper (several different newspapers actually) and you could always find multiple copies of bibles and newspapers on his desk or coffee table. He volunteered in Galveston with homeless ministries and was always quick to lend a hand to a relative or a stranger in need. Jim accepted God’s gift of mercy and forgiveness at a young age, living into that faith all his life.
In his later years, Jim suffered from dementia and spent his last three years at Belmont Village in Hunters Creek. We are eternally grateful for the care and dignity he received there. Dementia may have stolen his cognitive abilities but could not steal his sense of humor. He will be remembered there for constantly looking for the meeting that he needed to attend.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife Lee Ellen (Stevens) and is survived by daughter Cathy (Finck) and husband David and their children: Jamie Finck Craig and husband Campbell, Audrey Finck, Kaela Kirk, Joe Finck, Maia Kirk, Will Finck. He is also survived by his son Charlie Cate, wife Becky and their children: Hannah Cate, Peter and his wife Hope Cate, and Isabel Cate. He joins his brother Charlie Cate in heaven and is survived by brothers Pat Cate and David Cate.
We gradually said goodbye to the man we knew as dementia took him from us, but we will also miss the gentle, funny man that was left behind by the disease. He will be remembered for his passion for life and his faithfulness to his family, work, and church.
A memorial service will be held at Grace Presbyterian Church at 4 pm on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to The Alzheimer’s Association.
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