James R. Eddings
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James R "Jim" Eddings, 83, passed away peacefully on Nov. 8, 2021, with his beloved dogs, Sophie and Cammie, by his side.
He is survived by Wren Rowe Browning, who loved him dearly for the last twenty-five years. Also, his daughters, Kirstin Eddings Sullivan (Patrick) of Ames, Iowa, and Amanda Eddings DeGraff (Ian Hall) of Dallas, and his grandsons, Jackson, and Andrew Sullivan. Also mourning his passing are his children's mother, Sondra Isaac Eddings of Ames, Iowa, brother-by-choice, Bob Isaac (Melissa) of Dallas, and the families of Jennifer Auverman (Brent) of Amarillo and Jeff Pace (Ellen) of Austin, the children of Jim's dear sister, Ginger Pace, who preceded him in death in 2019.
Jim was born in Highlands, Texas on January 13, 1938, to J.R. and Mildred Eddings. He graduated from high school in Baytown, Texas and received a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Texas. He also did post-graduate work in mammalian physiology at the University of Houston and at U.T Medical School in Galveston. While in college, and following his father's death, he was called upon to take over his family's small grocery store. This experience planted the seed for what would be a lifetime of entrepreneurship, and although he was never a professional architect, his eye for design shone through his life's work.
Jim was the very definition of entrepreneurship, never afraid to create a business in unfamiliar territory. One of his first endeavors was a high-end men's clothing store in Baytown, Texas, and many years later, when a hobby turned into a business venture, he was raising cutting horses in east Texas and owned a world champion stallion in the 80s. Jim was always very interested in science and medicine, and his primary businesses were two very successful medical device companies manufacturing disposable cardiovascular catheters that later sold to top tier pharmaceutical companies. While every idea for an entrepreneur isn't always the success one hopes for, Jim's resiliency and perseverance was undeniable and always led him to his next great adventure.
Providing for his family was a top priority for Jim, while also teaching his children the value of solid work ethic. One of his last conversations was of the upcoming holiday season and the family being together in Dallas. He especially enjoyed going to his grandsons' sporting events and taking them to shoot sporting clays. He treated his employees like family, and his loyalty (and theirs to him) was unmatched.
Jim was a loving partner, father, and grandfather. He will be remembered for his dry wit, sly smile, and for being a man of few words, but most of all, for his generosity, devotion, and loyalty to those he cared about most in his life.
The family will receive visitors on Thursday Nov.18, 2021, from 4:00 - 6:00pm at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery,13005 Greenville Ave, in Dallas. A graveside service will be held on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at 1:00 pm in the Oak Lawn Estates section at Restland. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be relocated indoors.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made in Jim's honor to the Wounded Warriors Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/).