Roll Call Tribute

James Edwin "Jim" Nelson 

September 30, 1941 - April 12, 2024 

James Edwin Nelson, Sr. "Jim" was born September 30, 1941, in Houston, Texas. Jim passed away peacefully on April 12, 2024, surrounded by loved ones in The Woodlands, Texas.

Jim grew up in a company apartment above a lumber yard in Tomball, Texas, with parents Jack and Cleo and younger sister Judy. He spent much of his youth exploring the woods along Spring Creek and playing football and basketball, for which he was a letterman at Tomball High School.

Jim's journey was marked by outstanding achievement. A first-generation college student, Jim was a proud graduate of Texas A&M's Class of 1963 and a member of the Corps of Cadets, B-2 Buzzards company. He graduated with honors in electrical engineering and went on to have a successful career in the US Army, NASA, Exxon, and many subsequent entrepreneurial ventures. His dedication and hard work were a testament to his character, and the friends he made throughout his career remember him fondly for his humor, intelligence, and generosity.

Jim's life was enriched by his family, his greatest source of joy. He was a loving father to his six children: five sons, Jimmy, James Jr, Jeremy, Justin and Jackson, and daughter Janet. His pride in their achievements was immeasurable. He also found comfort in his hobbies, such as fishing, cooking, and supporting Houston's professional sports teams. Throughout his life, Jim was passionate about the dance floor, where he cut many a rug to country and Cajun tunes. Beyond his immediate family, Jim influenced and impacted many other lives through his volunteer activities and the years he spent coaching AAU youth basketball. His immediate and extended family will always cherish his immense zest for life and the love he poured into everything he did and everyone he cared for.

Jim enjoyed the final chapters of life as an islander, living in Galveston, TX, where he and his wife Joy enjoyed traveling, writing, and searching for Jean Lafitte's lost treasure. In his latter few years, he returned to the same Spring Creek woods he grew up in, living in The Woodlands to be closer to family.

He is preceded in death by his father, Jack, his mother, Cleo, and son-in-law Alan Smith.

He is survived by his wife Joy, sister Judy, and her husband Kent; his six children and their spouses; and nine grandchildren: Harry, Alec, Adeline, Niko, Lennon, Codi, Graham, Skylar, and Jo.

As he often told his family, Jim measured success not by wealth or status but by integrity and character. By this measure, Jim knew great success throughout his life. He will be deeply missed by the family and friends who knew and loved him.

His family will host a celebration of his life on May 25, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, in the ballroom of The Royalton, 3333 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that memorial gifts be made to The Houston A&M alumni club's scholarship fund at https://houstonags.org/donate/