He is survived by wife Madeline E. Denniston, they married in December 2008, making it almost 16 years. He was preceded in death, in April 1999, by wife Erline Denniston, mother of his two surviving children, Brenda Denniston Keen and James P. Denniston, Jr., and grandchildren Duncan Denniston Keen and Ashley Michelle Denniston.
James was the last of five siblings, having been preceded in death by older brother Robert, younger brother Toby, and sisters Betty Lou Bradley and Leta Pendleton.
The family lived in Arkansas for most of Jim’s younger years, and in the Great Depression, would travel to California for work in farm fields.
He served in the Army in WWII, as Military Policeman stationed in Germany during the Occupation.
He married Erline Jones on August 23, 1947. Then, courtesy of the GI Bill, as well as scholarships in baseball, football, and basketball, earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the College of the Ozarks. He worked for Western Geophysical Company for over forty years – starting on a land crew as “computer”, later Party Chief of Party 21 (moving around small towns in Oklahoma and Texas, and a brief stint in Wolf Point Montana. Following time in Shreveport and New Orleans, Jim was transferred to London, where he managed offshore operations in the North Sea, and Africa.
In 1975, he came to Houston and worked out of the company’s home office until his retirement.
Jim loved the game of golf, and played it well and as often as he could - as long as he could. When he moved to London, he carried a low (single digit) handicap. He was admitted to membership at New Malden Golf Club. He passed on his love of the game, to James Jr., who was in his teens in London.A favorite family story was born when the two faced each other in the final round for Club Champion. Son Jim is happy to tell how his father won - with a birdie on the 19th hole!
Jim enjoyed many years of golf in Houston – at Willowisp and Sugar Creek.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions in memory of James Denniston be made to the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4265 San Felipe, Suite 1100, Houston, Texas 77027.
