Jim Phipps

James (Jim) Walter Phipps, 87, of McKinney, Texas, died Saturday afternoon, September 30, 2023, at home after a long illness. A family graveside service to honor Jim will be held at Rosemound Cemetery in Waco, Texas.

Jim was born in Waco, Texas, on June 8, 1936, to James Amos (Jim) and Hester Virginia (Bobbie) Phipps. Jim was a standout high school football player in Waco and went on to be a 4-year letterman at TCU in Ft. Worth, Texas, playing for the Horned Frogs when the team played in three Cotton Bowl games and won the Southwest conference in 1955. At TCU, Jim was a member of the original founding class of SAE Texas Beta chapter and served as president his senior year. He made life-long friendships with his fraternity brothers that he always treasured. Jim was so proud that his son and two of his grandsons were also members of SAE when they attended college. After Jim graduated from TCU, with an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles on the table, he decided to hang up his cleats and go into the family business with his father. In 1964 Jim met and married the love of his life Martha Bostick. Jim and Martha enjoyed 58 years of marriage together.

Jim was a manager of KXII-TV in Ardmore, Oklahoma for 20 years. During this time, he was involved with several civic groups and community charities while enjoying traveling, summer vacations in Creede, Colorado, and working on the family ranch.

Some of Jim’s most precious memories were those spent traveling to horse shows to watch his daughter Jenny compete and going duck hunting in the early morning hours with his son JB in their CJ7 hunting jeep. Later, after he had grandchildren, Jim relived his youth with great pride, telling all his Camp Rio Vista, football, and SAE stories again and again while inspiring them to follow in his footsteps. He adored his three grandsons and loved watching them in all their activities and would often get very animated as the competitive juices flowed again.

Along with sports, Jim’s other love was art. After retirement, he found a love for oil painting and studied with Dale Amburn in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dale became a trusted friend and mentor for many years. Jim was a member of the Oil Painters of America and earned many awards and recognitions for his paintings which were sold in several galleries.

Jim was loved by all who knew him, and he always had words of encouragement, and a caring heart, that instantly made you feel like he was your biggest fan. He will be dearly missed.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his loving wife, Martha; his children, Jenny (Roy) Powers, and JB (Leisha) Phipps; his grandchildren, Ryan (Kelly) Powers, Connor Powers, and Wes Phipps; his brother, Joe (Mary Lee) Phipps; his sister, Carol Ann Stewart; his sister and brother in law, Ellen and Ray Deaver; as well as several nieces and nephews.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.