James “Jim” B. Neathery
James B. “Jim” Neathery, Sr., 85, of Beaumont, died January 6, 2017, in the tranquility of his home in Beaumont, Texas. He was born March 20, 1931, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Willie Mae Mashaw and James H. “Hank” Neathery. Shortly after his birth, Jim moved to Iberville Parish with his parents.
Jim enjoyed an idealistic boyhood being raised on a sugar plantation fronting the West Bank of Mississippi River, a vivid hunting and fishing paradise. He attended elementary school at White Castle, High School at St. John, Plaquemine, Louisiana, and graduated from Gulf Coast Military Academy at Gulf Port, Mississippi, and attended agricultural and mechanical studies at LSU.
Jim raised and trained bird dogs and swiftly shot quail and dove from his horse amongst thousands of acres of sugarcane and cornfields. The East side of the Atchafalaya Flood Way Basin Swamp Land was his paradise for hunting duck, squirrels, and deer. Fresh water fishing was also a complimentary passion in the same area during spring and early summer. Grand Isle, Louisiana, was his summer destination for offshore fishing game such as large specs and tarpon. Once he moved to Beaumont, Texas, in 1959, his quest continued for larger bill fish and tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexico Pacific Coast. Jim rejuvenating his passion for golf in the 1970’s and whittled his handicap to single digits for many years.
Jim was a thirty year member of The Rotary Club of Beaumont with twenty years perfect attendance. He served as Training Officer for many years and as Commander for two years of the Beaumont USCG Auxiliary at which time he was presented with the 100 Fathom Award by the United States Coast Guard Commander at New Orleans, Louisiana. Jim served the boating community as Training Officer and Program Chairman for 10+ years in the Beaumont Power Squadron.
Jim enjoyed twenty-one years with his partner from Opelousas, Louisiana, in the Bi-State Fishing Rodeo. He was a long time member of the Sales and Marketing Executives of Beaumont, Sabine Transportation Club, and a Senior Member of the Houston, Texas Chapter of Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
He was in sales and Management of Construction Machinery and Material Handling Equipment for thirty-seven years. When he retired from the machinery business in 1988, Jim relied on his Texas Real Estate Brokerage license acquired in 1961 to run a commercial real estate business in Beaumont that covered South East and Central Texas.
Jims’ paternal grandparents were James Miller and Georgia Hayes Neathery of Van Alstyne, Texas. They arrived in Pilot Grove, Texas, with their parents by wagon train in 1852. Maternal grandparents were William A. and Mae Hudson Mashaw of Ruston and Shreveport, Louisiana. They arrived in North East Louisiana in about 1870. Jim married Marilyn Amelia James on July 28, 1950, in Thibodeaux, Louisiana. They lived in Baton Rouge until relocating to Beaumont, in December of 1959.
Survivors include their three children, six grandsons, and great-grandson, Nancy Lynn Neathery Flores, preceded in death by her husband, The Honorable Judge G.R. “Lupe” Flores, of Beaumont; their sons, James “Jamie” Flores and his wife, Erin; Christopher Hansel Flores and his son, Jacob Hansel Flores, of Beaumont; and Andrew Michael Flores of Palm Harbor, Florida; James B. Neathery, Jr. of Beaumont, and his son, James B. Neathery III of Austin, Texas; Charles Miller Neathery, preceded in death by his wife, Marlené Marshall Neathery, of Dallas, Texas; and their sons, Kyle Marshall Neathery and Trenton Kelly “TK” Neathery; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Francis H. James and Enola Schexnayder James, of Nederland, Texas; Dr. Trenton L. ‘Trent” James and Kay Sundbury James, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Anne James Preator of Las Vegas, Nevada. Jim’s only sibling was a brother, the late William Hansel “Buddy” Neathery, who died in 1989.
A private committal was held under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.
Jim requested that donations in his memory be made to Salvation Army, 2350 I-10 East, Beaumont, Texas 77703.
memorial contributions
memorial contributions
- 2350 i-10 east beaumont tx 77703
- 5150 stivers st beaumont tx 77705
- 2000 mcfaddin ave beaumont tx 77701