James Wesley Sides

1935 - 2023

James Wesley Sides
05/12/1935 - 05/26/2023
James Wesley Sides, born in Wichita Falls, TX on May 12th, 1935. Died May 26th, 2023.
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Dear Family, Friends and those who are meeting Jim for the first time,
My Jim has died. On May 19th he had a massive stroke and never regained consciousness. He died peacefully 8 days later on Houston Hospice care, Sides' care, and in God's generous grace. This allowed for the most sacred time for our family to say goodbye, to sing and dance to his favorite country songs, to cry and laugh and touch and pray and rest next to him. Those last days unfolded with sadness, acceptance, and comfort with all of us together. Thank you to our family and friends and to the staff at The Tradition on Buffalo Speedway for your kindness and attention during this time.
Jim was the youngest of 7 children raised in a very loving family. His early years were filled with playing baseball, walking to school, studying hard, working odd jobs and being a Momma's boy. He was given a full scholarship to Stanford University where he studied for 9 years, including his graduate Ph.D work in Geology. That's where I met him. I was the Fraternity Secretary for the Dean of Men and he had made an appointment as a Resident Assistant to see the Dean. I knew he was coming, I just didn't know he would be the man of my life.
We married in 1962 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Jim worked for Amoco Oil and British Petroleum and went on to purchase Keystone Development Corporation. We lived in Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, Argentina, Wilmette and finally back to Houston. Our children Jim, Barrett, Delrena and Edward are all products of how we adjusted to those moves!
Here is how I will remember him…a kiss and a hug each morning and night; reading the morning newspaper; daily Sudoku; working on his to-do list; three meals a day no matter what; never missing a dessert; looking at the moon before coming to bed; long sleeved patterned shirts and khakis everyday; listening to classic country music; long summer months in Crested Butte, CO; weekly hikes while describing the geology of the mountains; cuddling babies; volunteering at MD Anderson and SEARCH Homeless Services, discussing meaningful issues with his Men's Group; researching his family genealogy; listening to other people's stories; playing tennis and golf; international travel; watching sports on tv; sitting quietly in nature at Barrett's place in La Grange; and our last dance during Happy Hour to "Side by Side."
Jim let me fly like a kite, and when strong winds would cause me to twist and plunge, he never let me go and I never crashed and burned. He grounded me.
Jim is remembered by Our Sides: children Jim, Barrett, Delrena and Edward, daughter and son-in-law Rosie and Dave, grandchildren Jenni and Conner Sides and Delrena and Georgia Swaggerty; his brothers and sisters and their families; my brother and sister and their families; and good friends by the legions who Jim and I have cherished over the years.
He was a gentle man. He loved John Lennon's song "Imagine" and hoped for peace in our world.
Please celebrate/honor his memory in any way that reminds you of him.
Sincerely,
Delrena Conner Sides, and Jim's and my extended families
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Friends and family are invited to a visitation and reception Friday, June 30th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Bradshaw-Carter home, 1734 W. Alabama St. in Houston. A celebration of Jim's life will begin at 5:00 p.m. A livestream of the ceremony will be linked with Jim's tribute page on BradshawCarter.com.