James Green Jr.

JAMES L. GREEN, JR. FUNERAL MASS SET FOR SATURDAY, 2 P.M.\r\n\r\nNotre Dame Catholic Church, family, friends salute Green's life of Christian ministry, civic leadership\r\n\r\nFuneral services are being held for James (Jim) Lavaughn Green, Jr. this Saturday at Kerrville's Notre Dame Catholic Church, 909 Main Street, at 2 p.m., Msgr. Mike Boulette presiding. He died on Tuesday at age 89 at his Brookdale Guadalupe River Plaza home at 135 Plaza Drive.\r\n\r\nA 30-year resident of Kerrville and Notre Dame Catholic Church parishioner, Green is preceded in death by his wife of nearly 61 years, Patricia (Pat) Maria Lott Green; one of their five daughters, Sharon Christine Green Felty; his sister, MaryEthlyn Lemon Wright, and parents Ethel Hasie and James Lavaughn Green, Sr. Jim was born Sept. 10, 1927 in Dallas.\r\n\r\nWith their Christian faith the cornerstone of their lives and marriage, Jim and Pat reared their daughters in Catholic faith and ministry. During their children's youth, Jim coached basketball, baseball, volleyball and softball at their St. Pius X Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Texas, while Pat and Jim together supervised the parish's Catholic Youth Organization.\r\n\r\nDuring their years at Notre Dame, Jim participated in numerous ministries, including assisting lectors in their weekly preparation, Bible study and initiating and implementing several church building improvements. Highlights include securing brass doors for the church entry; enhancements for facility lighting and sound system; hand rails for the choir loft and altar; and steps for improved accessibility at the Tabernacle and choir loft.\r\n\r\nFormer pastor of Notre Dame, Msgr. Boulette, says "Jim was a gift to me," referring to projects and church improvements where they collaborated.\r\n\r\nJim's efforts extended to securing rocking chairs for mothers and their young children in the sanctuary family quiet room. Jim also supported Pat's several church ministries, including the Eucharistic ministry; the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; and the Environment and Art Committee.\r\n\r\nParishioner and friend Sandy Domingues commented on their passion for church community and family: "They worked together to get things done."\r\n\r\nOne of Jim's significant contributions to the Hill Country community included assistance in the founding of Our Lady of the Hills Regional High School, a private Catholic school, in the mid-1990s, serving students from the Kerrville, Fredricksburg, Bandera and area communities. Located at 235 Peterson Farm Road, Kerrville, OLH opened in 2002 with 19 students and now boasts 115 students. Jim's notable contributions included securing the land for OLH and support for the initial classroom buildings and pavilion for athletic activities.\r\n\r\nJim's civic activities included serving on the Kerr County Tax Appraisal Board, and supporting Pat's water color and cultural arts contributions to the community.\r\n\r\nJim and Pat met in high school at Dallas' Crozier Tech and married in 1949 at St. Edward Catholic Church in Dallas following Jim's honorable discharge from the U.S. Army at the rank of sergeant. Jim then earned his bachelor's of science degree in Education at the University of Texas-Austin, and, ultimately his master's degree in Education at University of Houston. Jim taught middle school in Clear Creek Independent School District in League City, Texas, while Pat pursued a career in commercial art in the Galveston-Houston area.\r\n\r\nJim's career shifted to upstream oil and gas when employed as a Landman with Humble Oil & Refining Company in the mid-1950s. The move delivered a 30-year career with EXXON Company USA, the corporate parent of Humble Oil following a 1973 merger, with numerous promotions and domestic transfers. In Jim's final EXXON years, he served as Division Landman until his retirement in Houston in the early 1980s. He subsequently served as Division Landman for Arkla, an integrated natural gas company based in Shreveport, La., before he and Pat retired to Kerrville in the mid-1980s. Many of their EXXON friends also retired in Kerrville and Jim served as president of the Hill Country EXXON retired employees association in the mid-1990s.\r\n\r\nGolf was Jim's favorite recreation and he played at Riverhill Country Club, where he and Pat were members.\r\n\r\nJim is survived by daughters and sons-in-law: Terrie and Russell Smith of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lynn Thebeau of Phoenix, Ariz.; Lee and David Auchter of Cypress, Texas; Jaye and Dennis Calhoun of Phoenix, Ariz.; and Bill Felty of Denver. Grandchildren include Allison Thebeau Bernatovich and husband Mike of Nassau Bay, Texas; Michael Thebeau and wife Stephanie of Sugar Land, Texas; Kyle Smith and wife Karyn of Dallas; Matthew Felty and wife Kristen of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Christopher Auchter of Cypress, Texas. Great-grandchildren include Avery Wolff and sister Cadence Bernatovich of Nassau Bay, Texas; Parker and siblings Jackson and Charlie Thebeau of Sugar Land, Texas; and Anna Christine Felty of Oklahoma, City, Okla.\r\n\r\nThe Green family requests donations to Our Lady of the Hills Regional High School in lieu of flowers.\r\n\r\n