James Lee Erwin Sr.'s Obituary
Jim Erwin was born December 19, 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went to be with the Lord February 7, 2017 in Dallas, Texas after a fall while tending his garden at home doing what he loved. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and during his junior year of High School, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas. He started playing football at Riverside High School in Fort Worth and then at OBU. Eventually he transferred to Baylor University, where he became known to his football buddies as ‘Seabiscuit.’ It was at Baylor University that Jim met the daughter of medical missionaries to China, Sarah Frances Bryan. He served in the Naval Air Corps during WWII, after which he and Sarah were married in 1945. Following his service in the Naval Air Corps, the newlyweds settled in Dallas and he began a career in office equipment sales with Remington Rand and later established Jim Erwin Office Equipment Center. He served nine years as a trustee of Baylor University, and represented Baylor on the Cotton Bowl Committee for several years. He was on the trustee board for Criswell College for nine years, and was a founding board member of Bethlehem International, a Chinese ministry at FBC Dallas founded by Peter and Grace Wang. In 1948 Jim and Sarah planted their lives at First Baptist Church, downtown Dallas, where they faithfully served the Lord until the present. Jim served as a deacon at FBC and in recent years was one of the Pastor’s Prayer Partners until his death. Jim Erwin was a devoted husband to Sarah, his wife for over 71 years. He loved being with his family, often taking his children and grandchildren to football games, golfing, fishing and on many a road trip. Much of his free time at home was spent gardening, and tending to his beloved trees and flowers, especially roses which he loved to share with his family and neighbors. Jim loved the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength, which overflowed into the lives of the people around him Jim was preceded in death by his son, David Bryan Erwin and his great grandson, Griffin Shaw. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Erwin; his children, Elaine, Jamie, and Sally; eight grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren. A graveside will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Restland Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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