Mr. James Richard Clendenen's Obituary
James Richerd Clendenen, 80, born March 21, 1936, in Dallas, Texas, passed away Friday, February 10, 2017, in Kemp, Texas. James is Preceded in death by his wife Kay Clendenen and son James (Jay) Clendenen. James is survived by Cathy Russo, Daughter; Mark Russo, Son-in-Law; Mark Largent, Grandson and wife Ana; Alex Largent, Grandson and wife Sarah; Nicholas Largent, Great Grandson; Ryan, Drew and Sam Clendenen, Grandsons; Ray Clendenen, Brother James Richard Clendenen, known to his friends and family as Jimmy (until his wife Kay renamed him Jim), was born in Dallas, actually Oak Cliff, on March 21, 1936, the first born of Ewell W. and Bertha Lucille (Stockard) Clendenen. He was raised in Oak Cliff, attended James Stephen Hogg Grade School and W. H. Adamson High School, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in Austin. It was there, in his senior year (1956), he met Kay Roberts, on the banks of the Barton Creek swimming hole. She was a freshman and destined to go to John Sealy Hospital in Galveston the next year as a nursing student. He worked briefly in Dallas after graduation, but moved to Galveston to be with Kay during her training. They married in Gladewater, Texas, on February 2nd, 1957, Ground Hogs Day, a subject of great amusement to them both for the rest of their marriage. Jim and Kay were blessed with two children, Cathy Lynn in 1960, and James Raymond in 1966. They lived in Galveston and La Marque, Texas, and St. Louis, Missouri, and finally came to Dallas in 1968. Jim was employed by relatively few firms in his life, National Bankers Life Insurance, American National Life Insurance, McDonnell Douglas Automation Company, and eventually came to First National Bank in Dallas in 1970. He remained there through its growth through mergers and acquisitions until it was known as Bank of America. Jim was not a banker, though, as he often reminded friends who sought his advice on banking or financial matters. His career was almost evenly divided between the management of computer programming and telecommunications functions. When they moved to Dallas, they lived within the city limits at first, but moved to Carrollton to raise their children. They were avid fishermen and campers, and enjoyed bowling and playing bridge. They played golf in their early years of marriage, but found they could not fit it in their busy schedule. But it was to be a big part of their future. In 1984, they purchased a week-end place at Cedar Creek Lake, and the following year, after their son James’ graduation from high school, moved their permanent residence from Carrollton to Mesquite to make their weekly trip to the lake more convenient. Very few weekends at the lake were skipped, regardless of the weather, to enjoy the peace and quiet of country living and throwing fish frys for friends and family. Jim got interested in golf again in 1991, built sets of golf clubs for he and Kay, and began playing at the Cedar Creek Country Club. In 1993, they sold both their lake place and the Mesquite home, and bought and renovated a home on the lake shore, but on the grounds adjacent to the Country Club. Jim often said that in the next 12 months, they met more friends than they had known in the last ten years. They played golf several days a week, although Kay always played more while Jim was still commuting to Dallas while working for the bank. He remedied this by retiring from the bank in 1998, a Senior Vice President with 28 years service. He was afraid Kay would always beat him at golf if he did not try to catch up. He lost Kay in 2002, and although he managed to get on with his life, he never stopped missing her. Jim tried to be a caring, loving person, hold on to his temper, and avoid confrontations. He judged other people mainly by their honesty, their ability to focus on the important rather than the trivial issues, and by their desire to care about others. He continually encouraged his business associates to do their best, to care about the quality of what they did, and to feel good about themselves. He absolutely hated selfishness, thoughtlessness, taking advantage of others, and not standing on one’s own two feet. Although he would tolerate a lot of things rather than cause a ruckus, he would flame up readily in defense of his wife and children. Through their golden years until Kay’s death, they continued to remodel their home, landscape the yard, play golf, fish, and throw fish frys. To this day, it is hard to tell which he enjoyed more. To the very end, he considered himself the luckiest person on earth for being able to share his life with Kay, and participate in their activities together. If they could not do it together, they simply did not do it, for as long as she was still with him. He loved his children; grand-children and great grandson, very much, and would help them in any way to the best of his ability, but his life centered on his beloved Kay. He found a great deal of solace in his last days, attending and participating in the activities of St. James Episcopal Church and watching his children and grand-children live their lives. The pastor and congregation of the church were the most caring people he had ever met. He golfed while he could and fished when he felt like it, until his legs could not be trusted. He lost his son James, (he called him Jay), which was a terrible blow, in 2013, but carried on as best he could. As you would expect, he would list his best friends as those with whom he attended church, played golf, and enjoyed general fellowship. His last words would have been something like this: “Thank you for coming here today to join together in the celebration of my transition to my ultimate home in the Kingdom of God, where everyone is at peace with themselves and with all others. I am honored and humbled. I hope you remember me with humor and joy, not with sadness and sorrow. May you go from this place to have a very fulfilling life, while loving God, your family, and your neighbors. I am in the loving arms of the Father, have rejoined Kay and my son, and I am content.” Service will be held on February 15, 2017 at 10:00 AM at St James on the Lake, Kemp Texas Burial Service will be held on February 15th, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas
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