James D. Holmes

James was born in Galveston, Texas to Henry James Holmes and Willie Bell Berryhill Holmes on August 9, 1947. He graduated from Ball High School in Galveston in 1966. He attended Sam Houston State University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in 1972.

James was a veteran during the Vietnam war and served for three years in the U.S. Army. He was sent to Okinawa where he was stationed for two years. He was head of his battalion and recognized for excellent marksmanship. After serving in the Army, James went to work for Panhandle Eastern Oil and Gas in Houston, Texas. He and his family moved to New Braunfels in 1989. He purchased an Exxon gas station in San Antonio on Loop 410 and Bandera. After years of running his own business, he went to work for Valero Energy Corp. in San Antonio, where he retired in 2015. While at Valero, James volunteered for S.M.A.R.T (Students and Mentors Achieving Results Together) He spent his lunch hours each week of each semester mentoring a child from SAISD. James was also a member and the accountant for the Rotary Club in New Braunfels. He also represented Panhandle Eastern in a Harris County pool tournament where he won first place. He learned to play pool from a fellow veteran while stationed in Okinawa.

James was preceded in death by his parents, Henry J. Holmes and Willie Bell Holmes. He is survived by his wife, Jo Nell Holmes, his daughter, Anna Marie Holmes (Jerry Blose); brothers, Wayne Christian of Houston, TX and John Holmes of Palestine, TX; and sisters, Mary Wilkerson and Joyce McIver, both of Houston, TX.

A Memorial Service will be held on June 21, 2025 at 1:00 pm at Zoeller Funeral Home, officiated by Deana Kirby, Chaplain of New Beginnings Hospice of New Braunfels.

An inurnment will take place at a later date at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with full Military Honors.