Jim Houston Zike entered into rest on April 29, 2018 in Houston, Texas. He was born May 23, 1921, in Muskogee, OK, to the late Mildred Payton Kincannon and Hollie Gilmore Zike. Jim was preceded in death by his beloved wife Harriet Colgrove Fiske Zike. He was 96.
Survivors include his children, son James H. Zike and wife Sally; daughter Margaret Gulinson and husband Mike; sister Sue Zike McMillan; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Jim grew up in Muskogee, OK. While attending Georgia Tech in Atlanta, he met his wife in Sunday school. He worked his way through college as a coop student, graduating in 1944 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He worked in the natural gas industry, living in northern Louisiana, west Texas, Tulsa, and Houston. He spent time on consulting jobs in Trinidad-Tobago and Neuquen and Tiera del Fuego, Argentina.
Jim enjoyed gardening, snow skiing and wood working. He built several sets of bedroom furniture and a 14 foot outboard motor boat for water skiing. Harriet and Jim loved dancing and big band music. During their later years they enjoyed travelling, going to places like Alaska, Maine, Canadian Rockies, Hawaii and Europe.
Jim’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at 3:00 pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77079 (281) 497-2210, with interment following at the adjacent Memorial Oaks Botanical Gardens.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Zike family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation, details may be found at this link, https://www.diabeteswellness.net/in-memory .
