Reverend Monsignor James "Jim" Dempsey

1926 - 2019

Ordained May 26, 1956

Reverend Monsignor James "Jim" Dempsey, 93, of Beaumont, died Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at Christus Hospital-St. Elizabeth, Beaumont. He was born on August 11, 1926, to Gertrude Mixson Dempsey and James Jarlath Dempsey, Sr., in Beaumont.
Father Jim attended St. Anthony High School and Texas A&M University where he excelled in sports. Father went on to serve his country in the United States Navy. He attended seminary at St. Mary in La Porte and in Houston and was named Prelate of Honor by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2009.
He had served the following parishes, Blessed Sacrament, Houston; St. Charles Borromeo, Nederland; St. Anne Catholic Church, Beaumont; Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, Beaumont; and as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, China and St. Therese, The Little Flower of Jesus, Port Arthur, and served in the Chaplaincy at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Beaumont from 1988 until his retirement in 1999.
Survivors include his nieces, Margaret Sonnier Breaux and her husband, David; Mary Lou Sonnier Pearce and her husband, Tim; and Trudee Swain Markham and her husband, Barry; nephews, Donald J. "Donnie" Sonnier, Jr., and Beverly Moxley; Dr. Leo "Butch" Sonnier and his wife, Kathy; Tom Sonnier; David H. Swain, Jr., and his wife, Brenda; Curtis Swain; and Patrick Swain and his wife, Donna; and numerous grandnieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Trudeen Dempsey Swain and Mary Dempsey Sonnier; nieces, Cheryl "Cup" Sonnier Dana and Therese "Teri" Swain; nephew, James "Jimmy" Sonnier; and grandniece, Molly Ann Swain.
A gathering of Monsignor's family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., with an Evening Prayer for the dead at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, January 9, 2020, at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, 700 Jefferson Street, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Bishop Curtis J. Guillory with concelebrating priests, at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 10, 2020, at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, with a reception to follow in the Cathedral Center. His interment will be at 2:00 p.m., at Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions for Monsignor Dempsey may be made to Some Other Place, P.O. Box 0843, Beaumont, Texas 77704, Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas, 2780 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont, Texas 77703, or Southeast Texas Food Bank, 3845 MLK Jr. Parkway, Beaumont, Texas 77720.
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