James Miller Wilson

James Miller Wilson died peacefully at home at the age of 89 on April 5th, 2023 in Kingwood, TX.

He is survived by wife Mary Jane, daughter Amy Wilson and her husband Ron Achord, daughter Holly Lehman and her husband Troy Lehman, son James Craig Wilson, granddaughter Brandy Nicole Vera and her father Gama Vera.

James was born in the farming community of Briscoe in Wheeler County Texas on September 3, 1933, to Milton and Winnie Miller Wilson as the youngest of seven. He graduated from West Texas State in Canyon with a bachelor's and a master's in business administration where he met and subsequently married Mary Jane in 1958. He taught for a few years in Borger, TX before they moved to Fayetteville, AR, where he earned his doctorate at the University of Arkansas. He taught as a professor at Colorado State in Ft. Collins, CO. It was in Ft. Collins that Amy was born and Holly was adopted. He received an invitation to teach abroad in England and Germany on various Air Force bases. The family of four spent about a year overseas and then settled in McAllen, TX. He taught at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as a professor in the School of Business for 25 years. While in McAllen, the family was completed when Craig was adopted. In 1997, James retired from a 35-year career in academia. He and Mary Jane moved to Kingwood, TX to enjoy their retirement and be near their granddaughter. They have lived in Kingwood for the last 25 years.

James loved music, and he played piano beautifully. The family has fond memories of him playing piano most evenings. He and Mary Jane enjoyed traveling throughout their marriage. They also loved to attend opera and symphony performances once they retired to the Houston area.

He and Mary Jane have faithfully attended the Church of Christ during their 64 years of marriage. James served as an elder in the Harvey Drive Church of Christ in McAllen. As members of the Kingwood Church of Christ, he and Mary Jane were active with the Texas Medical Center Apartment Ministry and the Loving Kindness Ministry where they drove people to their medical appointments.

He was generous to many throughout his life. James chose to donate his body to the University of Texas Medical School for medical education purposes, reflecting his lifelong dedication to teaching and helping others.

After a fall in November of 2022, he impressed family and medical personnel with his resilience, determination, and wit. The family is very grateful to the incredible caregivers who enabled us to bring him home. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

There will be a memorial service on Tuesday, April 11th at 10:30 in the morning at the Kingwood Church of Christ at 2901 Woodland Hills Dr. in Kingwood, TX 77339. All are welcome and there will be a reception immediately following.