Jim "Boomer"
Harrison
1936-2018
Jim, "Boomer" Harrison departed this earth on September 3, 2018. He is survived by wife, Sheila Harrison, who was his sounding board, travel partner and poker coach. He is also survived by six children and their spouses, Sarah and Phil Forney,Cici and Dave Slavic, Bo and Leslie Harrison, Marsene Boldt and Matt Henson,Stacey and Jeff Christman and Eric and Angela Smith. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1960, Jim joined Houston Natural Gas and served in various marketing and executive positions for 25 years. He was President of the HNG Gas Distribution Company and President of HNG Resources. He retired in 1985 before the company became Enron and was elected Chairman of Genesis Petroleum Company. In 1994 he was part of an investment group that acquired Pinnacle Natural Gas and he served as President until the company was sold in 2003. Jim was a sports nut and card-carrying Sooner fan, holdem poker player, BBQ chef and world traveler. He could not dance; nor could he sing. Liked dogs but not cats. Notable accomplishments: he wiped out most of a Christmas Nativity scene in a 5 star hotel in Mexico with an air borne side body block after his boot caught on a floor tile and several margaritas; he struck out twice in the same inning in a Little League Championship Game-once with the bases loaded, his team lost; in a high school homecoming football game, he stumbled and fell in a gopher hole running in an end around reverse with nothing but 30 yards of daylight in front of him. A memorial Mass will be said at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer on September 7, 2018 at 1:30PM. Celebration of Life following at Patrenella's. Honorary pallbearers will be the Regiment, The Brisket Cases, all Sooner fans and all holdem players that he ever won money from.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Houston Chronicle on Sep. 5, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Jim Harrison

24 Entries

Constance Sutton

October 10, 2018

My condolences. You have lost your husband and your travel buddy.
I hope you continue to travel and time eases the pain of your loss
Constance

Pam Elgar

October 4, 2018

I had great affection for Jim and loved Sheila & Jim as a couple. I was fortunate to know this man, feel diminished by the loss of my friend.

john hoyt

September 19, 2018

Sheila, although I never met Jim I feel like I knew him through you; bravo to a life well lived!

Hodson

September 16, 2018

Sheila.... our sincere condolences... we remember a lovely guy who once cooked us a pork butt that we had to take thru agriculture customs in Toronto! Lucky for us none of the agents were hungry that night!!! We hope you can keep on travelling in good health... big hugs! Harry and Carol

September 7, 2018

I have known Boomer for about 20 years. Played poker with him many times. He was a great man and good friend to all. Will miss him.

My deepest sympathy.

Glenn Blackmon

Judy Sanford

September 7, 2018

Dear Sheila, I am so sad at the loss of this wonderful man and perfect mate for you. I know the hole in your life is huge; I am glad you have so many, many happy memories, which in time, will help your grieving heart. Love, Judy

Joy Ver and Ivan

September 7, 2018

Dear Sheila,
Thank you so much for finding time at this sad moment to let us know about Jim' s death. We both admired Jim. He was a true gentleman.
We still have the barbecue aprons he presented to Ian after he helped Ian cook the barbecue for everyone when they visited our home at Easter in Melbourne.
We so enjoyed your company during our train trip from Sydney to Alice Springs. I enjoyed catching up with you both in Barcelona more recently.

We are sure you will be supported by many friends in Texas . We will be thinking of you and hoping the days ahead will not be too stressful.
We will always keep happy memories of Jim in our hearts.
Love
Joy and Ian

Betyy Freedman

September 7, 2018

What a neat guy he must have been!!!! So sorry I never got to meet him. Hope he runs into Milton in the that big poker game in the sky!!!!!!

Ed and Nonnie Markesett

September 7, 2018

Dear Dear Sheila,
I am just devastated to know Jim passed away. I know he had fallen but certainly didnt think it was anything that serious.
My heart is with you. I know these next couple of days and months will be difficult. But I know you have the strength to get through it.
Ed wanted me to tell you also how fond he was of Jim and how much he enjoyed him when we would get together.
We are sending you lots of love and hugs.
Fondly but with deep sadness,
Nonniej

Chris and Carrie beale

September 7, 2018

Sheila, Im so sorry to hear about Jim. Carrie and I send our love.

Mom sent me the obituary Jim wrote. Perhaps the best Ive ever read.

qgavifvand Sharie Beale

September 7, 2018

Dear Sheila,

Sharie and I were so sorry to hear about Jim's death. He was a good man and fun to be with and we liked him a lot. Our heartfelt condolences are with you.

With our deepest sympathy,

David and Sharie

Pam Barksdale

September 7, 2018

Celebrating Jim from afar.

Good morning dear friend:
Were exploring temples in the jungles of Cambodia- magnificent, if blazing hot. Ive thought of Jim- and you -so many times today. Im sad to not be there as hes laid to rest and sad to not be there to share tears with you as you say goodbye. Thinking of you and remembering Jims quiet kindness and his obvious love of people. Praying for comfort and strength to you today and always.
Much love,
P

Casey Kelly

September 7, 2018

Sheila, I was positive you had written Jim's poignantly side-splitting obituary. Now I learn that, even better, he had written it himself. So lucky were you both to have so much to share and chortle over. Life is a comedy; tragedy is that long moment before we get the joke. Which you, alone among widows, probably already have. He obviously did, which consoles us all. Hugs, Casey

Kay Wallace

September 6, 2018

Sheila, I'm so very sorry. Jim was such a nice guy. I remember how welcome he made me feel while I was visiting, even though I set off the burglar alarm when I went out to get the morning paper. I always felt he was such a great partner for you, even enjoying your globe trotting. With deep sympathy and love. Kay McRae Wallace

Dennis Craggs

September 6, 2018

Boomer will be sorely missed. The Regiment in Heaven is growing way too fast, but Boomer will have a lot of friends there to welcome him!

Sandra Martin

September 6, 2018

David and I were sorry to hear of Jim's passing. We enjoyed being with him in New York and again in Houston in April.
He certainly enjoyed life with all of your travels all over the world. Jim was a great example of how to live your retirement well.

Kay Laycock

September 6, 2018

Love you Sheila.

Paul Mattingly

September 5, 2018

I met Jim, 58 years ago. I was in his first wedding. I remember his first job, selling gas lights to home owners for Houston Natural Gas. Jim was a leader rising to be the special assistant Vice President helping an icon, Bob Herring build a great company from a gas distribution company in Houston to one of the most respected companies in the country. They expanded into marine barge transportation, pipelines (now known as Kinder-Morgan) oil & gas production (EOG ENERGY).
Jim was fun-loving, a caring, nice person someone you were proud to be a friend of. My deepest sympathy to all his family.
Paul A. Mattingly, Jr. Houston Texas September 05, 2018

September 5, 2018

May God be with and bless his family. Jim was the greatest "boss" I have ever had the pleasure of working for at Pinnacle. He will be missed by all of us. RIP my friend.
Charlie Gumina

Roger Rasmusen

September 5, 2018

So many fond memories of Jim. Trips together to Bangkok and Hong Kong, Mexico, San Francisco. Going to see Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl in Miami. Saturday fternoons watching Football games together. Appreciating his sense of humor and his very kind being. I will miss him . Roger Rasmusen

September 5, 2018

May the God of all comfort sustain you at this time of such great loss.

Connie Loftin Dowd

September 4, 2018

Dear Harrison Family,
Jim's dad Alfred was my grandmother Marie Harrison Gibney's brother. Jim was cousin to my Mother Pat Gibney Loftin and Aunt Virginia Gibney Lamb. It has been many years since I have seen Jim. I remember Bo, Sarah & CiCi coming to Dalhart for a visit. Praying that the memories of Jim will bring you peace and comfort to your heart in the days ahead. God Bless You.

Jan Rasmusen

September 4, 2018

Jim was one of those rare souls who truly wanted to make other people happy. He went to extraordinary lengths to make me feel good even before I met him. (It's wonderful but long story.) In 1988 (89?), my husband Roger and I accompanied him and his wife Sheila (my sister) to Hong Kong and surrounding countries. What crazy fun that was. My sister couldn't have had a more loving husband. They were constant companions traveling the world together, playing poker tournaments together and feasting on crayfish and other delicacies. I'm so happy that she, and we, knew him. Jim, we'll miss you.

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