James Madison Word Jr.

James Madison Word, Jr., “Jim”, was born in Robstown, Texas, on August 5, 1954. He passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2013, in Kingsville, Texas, at the age of 58. He was the son of James M. Word and Virginia Ruth McRoberts Word. Jim moved to Kingsville in 1962, attended H.M. King High School and graduated in 1973. He went to Texas A & I University before going to work for Texas Oil and Gas as a gauger. He was employed by Celanese in Bishop, Texas, until 1996. Jim shared a love of the outdoors and hunting with his father. His first hobby was skateboarding and that lead to his passion for surfing. Jim and his friends had mothers that were considered saints. They would load down their cars with Junior High boys and surfboards and head to the beach. As soon as the boys were old enough to drive, their surfing adventures broadened to California and Mexico, where they would spend their summers. Jim also enjoyed traveling to Costa Rica to visit the country and to surf. Jim married Jeri Killough in 1977, and they were married for eight years. He was a loving father and passed on his love of the beach and surfing to his sons. They surfed together in Virginia, Hawaii, Florida and along the Texas coast. Jim had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. His childhood friends still remember and comment on how he always made them laugh. He was a very easy going person and never asked much of anyone. Jim was dearly loved by many and will be greatly missed by his family and friends that he so loved.

Jim leaves behind to cherish his memory his sons, James Tanner Word and Jeffery Robert Word; and his first grandchild, that he met in May of 2008, Landon Noah Word, all of Jacksonville, Florida; his two sisters, Johanna (Bruce) Schubert of Driscoll, Texas, and Bess (Ken) Willis of Ingleside, Texas; two nephews; and three nieces.

Jim’s final resting place will be the ocean where he was most at peace.