James Lee Hooker

Hooker
James Lee Hooker died on Monday, the 21st of February, 2011. He was born on the fifth of March, 1931 in Albany, Texas to Maude Gentry Hooker and Hulen Silas Hooker. Jim loved Albany but had to leave home in 1952 to go to Korea where he served in the US Army for two years. Happy to get back to Texas, he headed to Lubbock where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Texas Tech University. Jim remained a loyal and avid Red Raider fan his whole life.
He moved to Houston and began a long career with Exxon, then called Humble Oil and Refining Company. He passed the CPA exam and met his wife, Gladys Hadnot Hooker. They were married in 1960, and their daughter, Kim, came along eight years later. Jim's career took the three of them all the way to Jakarta, Indonesia, to Carlinville, Illinois and then back to Spring, Texas where Jim and Gladys have lived for the past 28 years. He retired from Exxon in 1986 and began a new life as a Financial Advisor and Broker. His workplace had several names over the past 24 years, most recently being called Wells Fargo Advisors. Jim loved to go to work every day, and he made many friends there and on the bus, friends who truly treasured and admired him.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Blanche Hooker Dill and Billie Hooker Wooldridge. He is survived by his wife Gladys, his older brother Claude L Hooker, his daughter Kim Hooker Ballesteros, son-in-law Sean Ballesteros, grandson Lyle Austin Ballesteros, and faithful dog Tater. Jim was one-of-a-kind. He and Gladys celebrated 50 years of marriage on October 8, 2010 ~ they were truly meant for each other. Jim enjoyed doing the yard every weekend, cheering for the Red Raiders, going out for Mexican food with Gladys, shopping for bargains, taking care of his family, and making ice cream sundaes for his grandson Lyle, who was the light of his life for the past seven years. Jim was much loved and will be missed so much.
A visitation will take place on Thursday (2/24) evening from 6:00 to 8:00pm at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, Klein, Texas 77379. A graveside service will be held on Friday (2/25) morning at 9:30am at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038.