James H. McCuistion

James Harvel McCuistion, passed away peacefully on Saturday, the 1st of August 2026, surrounded by family after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Jim was born on the 8th of November 1941, in Beaumont, the second child of Harvel B. and Ruth Busby McCuistion.

Growing up in Beaumont, Jimmy, as he was known as a child, loved spending time at his family’s Diamond M Ranch in Brazos County. He graduated from Beaumont High School in 1959, where he lettered in track. Jim went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin where he pledged Phi Gamma Delta. He was a four-time member of the Wall of Fame, with appearances in softball for Army ROTC, Fiji track, and Class A football.

Jim graduated from UT in 1965 with a B.S. degree in Petroleum Land Management. While at UT, he was commissioned into the US Marine Corps in January 1964. After graduation, Jim entered the Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant, serving three years active duty with thirteen months in Vietnam. He was awarded a bronze star medal for valor during his time overseas serving the country. Jim then joined the Marine Corps Reserves and ultimately retired in 1990 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Although he retired from the Marines, he continued to embody its values of honor, courage, and commitment for the rest of his life.

After returning from the war, he and his family moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, where he worked as a landman with Sun Oil, Hunt Oil, Apexco, and Edwin L. Cox. In 1975, they moved to Houston, where he was employed at Houston Oil and Minerals as head of the land department. He then worked at Gulf Energy Exploration Corp. in Austin, and until his retirement he operated his own business in Houston— Colorado Crude Co. He was a member of Lafayette Association of Professional Landmen and was inducted as a "LAPL Legend” in 2010.

Jim and his wife of thirty-two years, Susan, lived in Houston and enjoyed spending time at their second home in Beaufort, South Carolina. They also enjoyed visiting friends at their favorite places to stop on their drives between Houston and Beaufort— Seaside, Florida and Highlands, North Carolina. In recent years, they spent each August on Coronado Island in San Diego, which Jim had a special affinity for because of his time there during his Marine Corps service.

Jim was a member of the Houston Country Club (where he never missed a workout or swim until the month before he passed), the Austin Country Club and the Tejas Breakfast Club. He also had a lifelong love for tennis and played in the World Oilman’s Tennis Tournament for many years, where he served as a director.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Harvel B. and Ruth Busby McCuistion; and son-in-law, John Cutting.

In addition to his wife, Jim is survived by his sisters, Linda McCuistion Isles, and Wanda McCuistion Nepveux and her husband Glen; his daughters, Robin Wombwell and her husband John, and Holli Cutting; his son, Brett McCuistion; his stepdaughter, Laura Terry and her husband Eli; and his brother-in-law, Larry Bell and his wife Nancy. Lovingly known as “Wink” to his grandchildren, Jim experienced great joy in spending time with them— Burkley Fitzsimons and her husband Jonny, Stewart Wombwell, Elizabeth and C.C. Cutting, Luke McCuistion, Ben and Peter Terry; and his great-grandsons, James and Henry Fitzsimons.

The family would like to give special thanks to Jim’s doctors at M.D. Anderson and Houston Hospice.

A memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 9th of September, at First Presbyterian Church, 5300 Main Street in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in nearby Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude for memorial contributions to be directed to Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, or to First Presbyterian Church of Houston.

At a later time, the family will gather for a graveside service at St. Helena’s Parish Church in Beaufort, South Carolina.

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