James "Jim" N. Tobin

Jim Tobin passed away in his sleep on Thursday, November 11, 2010 after a recent respiratory illness. He overcame numerous health issues over the last 10 years but couldn’t rally this time.

Jim’s friends and family most often sum up his personality in two words, “sweet man,” –simple description, but that’s just what he was to so many. His quiet manner and few words made an impression wherever he went.

Jim was born in Austin on December 6, 1944. He grew up in Austin’s Tarrytown area, graduating from Austin High in 1963 and lived in Austin most of his life. He served in the US Air Force 1963-1967 in aerospace medicine and later as a medic in the Philippines. After service to his country, he returned to Austin and graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a degree in accounting. For a number of years he worked in oil field equipment sales in the Houston area and later became a real estate agent in Houston. When Jim returned to Austin in the mid-90’s, he continued as a real estate broker and taught real estate classes for a number of years.

Jim is survived by his mother, Marie Tobin, brother and sister-in-law Roy and Carolyn Tobin; long-time companion and soul mate, Martha Sansom; nieces Melisa Tippie and family and Elizabeth Polasek and family; cousins Debi Vermillion and Molly Tobin

Jim will be sorely missed at Wednesday happy hour with his Austin High friends, but his spirit will be with them forever. Several of these friends will serve as honorary pallbearers: Bill Bennett, Jimmy Collier, Lew Adams, Bill Crimm, Bill Benham, and Terrell Cass.

Visitation will be held on Monday, November 15, 5-8pm. A memorial service celebrating Jim’s life will be held on Tuesday, November 16 at 10am. All services will be held at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 199300, Dallas, TX 75219-9300

To share memories of Jim please go to, cookwaldencapitalparks.com

Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, Pflugerville, TX.