Jim D. Reagan

Jim D. Reagan, formerly of Amarillo, age 74, died March 15, 2018 in Dallas, TX. He was a business and non-profit executive, as well as a civic leader for many years in Amarillo, Baton Rouge, Austin and Dallas.

Mr. Reagan was born in Hendrix, OK on October 6, 1943, to Edmond O. and Opal Reagan. He grew up in Borger and Phillips, TX. He graduated from Phillips High School in 1962 and earned a B.B.A. in Management from West Texas State University.

He retired as Executive Director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and then retired a second time as C.E.O. of Uptown Dallas Public Improvement District in 2012. Mr. Reagan's 10-year leadership of the Austin Symphony resulted in the greatest growth and most successful decade in the 100-year history of the organization.

While in Austin, he helped design and was a major fund raiser for the construction of the Long Center for the Performing Arts. He also served as a Professional Trustee for the Center. He was a national director of the American Symphony Orchestra League, former President of the Texas Executive Directors Association and was a long time Rotarian.

He served on the board of directors of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce, Amarillo Little Theater, Amarillo Youth Symphony, Tascosa High School Excellence Council and was a member of the Amarillo Club. He also served on the board of directors of the Louisiana Partnership on the Arts, Create Baton Rouge and was a member of the Camelot Club.

Mr. Reagan was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo for many years and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee and on the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. He was later a member of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas.

He married Phyliss Curtis on April 24, 1965 in Amarillo. He loved to travel and took his family on vacation trips to numerous countries. Mr. Reagan particularly enjoyed their annual trip to New York City to attend several Broadway shows each year. Having been a basketball player in college, he avidly followed TCU sports and put up his Horned Frog flag for each of their football games. He loved spending time with his family and was particularly close with his three-year-old grandson.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Phyliss of Fairview, TX; daughter, Gem-Ann Reagan Doenges and her husband, John of Plano, TX; and grandson, Soland Reagan Doenges.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be sent to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (lls.org) or to the Highland Park United Methodist Church library (hpumc.org) for children's books in Mr. Reagan's memory.