James Woodrow Love

James Woodrow Love of Fort Worth, Texas was born on April 12, 1943 at the Paris Sanitorium in Paris, Texas, at 8:00pm to Woodrow Hammond Love and Thelma Christeen Bivens Love. They remained in Paris, Texas until they moved to Amherst, Texas in March of 1959, when James was 15. Amherst is where he would finish his school career playing Basketball and Football for the Amherst Bulldogs. Why is this important? When asked by Candace, “Daddy, I can’t see you playing football, what position did you play?” He responded, “RUNNER!” she said; “Dad! I don’t think that’s an actual position”, very giddy, he laughed and said” Do you know how big I wasn’t? When I caught that ball and saw all those big boys…I RAN! I WAS A RUNNER!” And that was who Mr. JW Love was; a happy and funny man, who was never afraid to crack a joke. Not only was he not afraid to joke, but he was also the boy who lived. No, really. He lived. Ever met someone with a memorial page in their high school yearbook? That was still alive? He was hit by a train as a teenager. They didn’t expect him to make it, and the school didn't want to miss the yearbook deadline, so they memorialized him! The odds were not even remotely in his favor, but God had different plans. Which meant that Woody did what Woody did best, and he fought to live, because his people needed him and God knew Demmie and Candace would need a Daddy one day. He was a fighter. All the way down to his bones. And the best storyteller. He could tell you stories for hours, and it would feel as though time had barely passed by. Some of them were simple: about how he played basketball or how he was bound and determined to hang around his future wife, hoping for a chance and how they married in a short six weeks’ time, after meeting one another. Others were so silly that we wondered how time had weathered the edges. But all of them were amazing.

Jimmy and Carolyn met in Amherst, TX and would marry just six weeks later January 27th, 1967. They knew immediately that it would be a love that would last for the ages, even though “Fifty-five years was never going to be enough…” They would continue to carry each other through every storm and trial while they grew a family and built a home with the strongest bones. It would be these very bones that would prove time and time again that it could withstand the tests of time and strength of any storm. Their love was so strong that it would reverberate through their entire family. A marriage worthy of emulation. Jimmy and Carolyn will forever be timeless and their love; it will forever be eternal. There is no distance that their love cannot reach.

He cared for his two beautiful girls with a type of love that is described in books and works of fiction, alike. His firstborn, Candy, was his chosen daughter. And he chose her over and over, her whole life. So much so, that the grandkids had no idea that there might be any other Dad than Jimmy Love that could ever love her more; and there truly wasn’t. He might even give up ice cream for her…maybe. But, Amanda and Erica got it, they’d choose her a thousand lifetimes over, too. And heaven help anyone that didn’t have his girls’ best interest at heart. He was the kindest man, with a temper politely stashed away for such important occasions as his girls, and bad Cowboy’s football games.

He cared endlessly and meticulously for his Demmie Sue. It was his mission to always make sure that she wasn’t cold, her beautiful pictures were penned to the right person, and he knew every episode of Mr. Rogers. Just like only he and Carolyn could. He continuously succeeded to make sure their Sue experienced the world, and, most importantly, felt that deep, unending love that only a daddy could give. He fought for and took care of Demmie Sue, alongside the love of his life until he couldn’t any longer. A love like no other.

Aside from being a devoted husband, loving daddy; he was also a very proud Grandaddy and great-Poppy. There was no request too large for Erica and Amanda’s Grandaddy. One day, he was going to his beloved Braums to get us all ice cream; and Carolyn and Candy put Erica up to a large request: she asked her granddaddy for forty cherries on her ice cream. She did just that, and he very emphatically requested forty cherries. Not only did he request it, but he counted them. Just for Erica. He was so special. And when his great-granddaughter and great grandson came into the picture, we watched as his heart somehow found a way to grow even bigger. He was so proud to be a “Poppy”. Patiently listening to their stories, pretending to eat whatever concoction they had made for him in their play kitchen, and making silly noises and faces, just to see them smile.

We have been trying to navigate unsteady waters for a while. Dementia is ugly but the kids always had a way of pulling Poppy back to the surface. It was beautiful. He was stubborn and fought hard to the very end. Forever the boy who lived, now lives in the heavens. He fought for his family and loved us even harder.

We can only imagine the joy he had when he finally made it to Heaven. Seeing his mom and all those that went before him. We know he is made whole, and healed, but us over here in the Bermuda Triangle (a joke reserved for Grandma, Grandaddy and Mike Alexander) are broken and will never be the same. We’ll miss hearing his shuffling feet coming before actually seeing him, him telling Erica where she was born 50 million times, grandma catching him eating ice cream right out of the container and watching him light up when Preslee or Michael would run into his arms, despite everyone’s concerns that they would eventually lay him out.

He would make his own lemonade with ice water, lemons and sugar at a restaurant, and if a server tried to top it off, he would say, “I got it just right. You don’t want to ruin it!” Yes, you did, JW. You got it just right and now, you can rest. You loved us so well, Jimmy Love.

James Woodrow Love left this earth for his Heavenly home in his new body on 08.17.2022 at 12:20 P.M, surrounded in love by his Family.

He was preceded in death by his mom and dad: Thelma Christeen Bivens Love and Woodrow Hammond Love. Sister and brother, Wanda Patrica and Bobby Hammond Love. Son in Law, Michael Wilson Alexander. Niece, Cindy Love Mayhall.

And the rest of us will have to miss him from down here: His beautiful wife of 55 years Carolyn Love, Daughters: Demmie Love, Candace and Patrick Healy of Fort Worth. Granddaughters and their spouses: Erica and Chase Rutlidge of Fort Worth; Amanda and Joel Gorman of Allen. Great Grandchildren and those who made his life the fullest, Michael Gorman and Preslee Rutlidge. Sister: Debbie Jan and Steve Bankston of Amherst. Nieces and nephews: Bryan Bankston, Steve Love, Gary Love, Eddie Love and April Love Upshaw.

Our family was blessed beyond measure 19 years ago with Diann Spencer. Nothing can repay the kindness, love, and consistency you have shown our entire family through all these years. You are valued, you are cherished, and you are loved! There will never be enough “thank you’s” in this world to express what you mean to us. We love you so incredibly much.

Our family would also like to thank those that have selflessly cared for our beloved Husband/Daddy/Grandaddy/Poppy. Not only did you all care for him; but cared and continue to care for our Demmie and Mom/Nene. Leslie Coleman, and Ciria Martinez: without the two of you, life would have been far more difficult and almost impossible than it already was. You both have brought so much peace to our family. Thank you for loving and giving him the dignity that he deserved.

If you wonder how a Father should love; think of JW. Rest Easy, Daddy. You were a man that lived the walk, not talked the walk. I know you were met with many crowns and a resounding “WELL DONE!” I love you to the Stars! Thank you for choosing and loving me. See you in Heaven Daddy, we Love you Demmie and Candy Bon.

Proverbs 20:7

“The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his beliefs.

How blessed, happy, and secure are his children after him who have his example to follow.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1:To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Services for James Woodrow Love of Fort Worth will be held at Pipeline Church 625 W Pipeline Rd Hurst, TX 76118 on September 10, 2022 at 1:00 P.M.