Mr. James Allen Swafford

Jimmy was born to Videll Gene and Willie Beatrice Everett Swafford on May 18, 1956 in Wichita Falls, Texas. He graduated with the Hirschi High School class of 1974 in Wichita Falls, and shortly after graduation, he moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and began his career in the trucking industry.

He moved to Houston, Texas, in his early 30s, in the late 1980s, beginning a new life and continuing his career. Not long after moving to Houston, he met Pamela Cook, thanks to a mutual friend, and after a successful blind date and 6 weeks of dating, they married in January of 1990. For the next 33 years, they raised their three children, welcomed grandchildren, and lived life side by side in both Houston and North Richland Hills, Texas.

Jimmy was highly successful in his career, spending much of it with Fort Worth Gear and Axle, which became Inland Trucking. He spent many years there, and was much loved and well respected by both his co-workers and fellow members of his industry. He truly loved his job and was the most loyal employee ever. He rarely missed a day, was always a joy to work with, and could always be counted on to share his knowledge and skills with everyone around him.

Jimmy was a spiritual man who loved to share his beliefs and knowledge of the Bible with anyone who asked or was interested. He taught his children much about the difference between being spiritual and religious, and shared his favorite parts of the Bible with them often.

He also loved history, and could cite dates and places of historical significance on cue. His family loved to joke about how a road trip with Papa meant getting a steady commentary about landmarks and locations they passed, and listening to him share his historical knowledge as they made their way down the road. He loved to point out places and tell you all about their history, and events that occurred there.

He was a fisherman, and loved the water, and he shared some of his favorite times fishing with his sons and son-in-law. He absolutely adored Dr. Pepper and instilled that love into all of his grandchildren, all of whom knew they could always find a cold Dr. Pepper in the cooler in the back of Papa's truck.

Jimmy was a true lover and connoisseur of music, and a passionate fan of almost all genres. He owned a very large library of music, including an immense vinyl collection that inspired jealousy in his fellow music fans. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge of musical history and his favorite artists and records with his family, and anyone else who wanted to listen. He was an admirer of guitars and the blues, and had a great deal of respect for female vocalists in particular. He especially loved classic rock and could be found listening to Pink Floyd albums quite often.

His very best friend was Bob, his fourth son, his tiny Miniature Pinscher that never left his side and was his running buddy. Jimmy's kids always got a kick out of accusing their dad of loving Bob more than he loved them (which they still aren't sure isn't true!).

Jimmy was kind, gentle, loving, accepting, hard working, and one of the smartest men any of his family had ever known. His favorite words were "No problem", and he told his family repeatedly over the years, "Don't waste your time worrying about things you cannot control."

He was loyal, friendly, at times quiet, always thinking and thoughtful, loved by children and animals alike (which, as we all know, tells you a lot about a person), and he laughed at his own Dad Jokes. (We usually did, too. He told some good ones. Mostly.)

Our Jimmy was the rock and patriarch of our family, and we will miss him, his fierce love, his sweet and calming presence, his gentle hands, and his quiet but strong leadership for the rest of our lives, until we see him again someday and we are lovingly reunited.

Jimmy is survived by his adored wife, Pam, his children, daughter Misty Jones, son Tommy Thompson and wife Natalee, son Jared Swafford and wife Erica, and honorary son David Grayson and wife Brianna. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Savannah, Madison, Makayla, Hannah, Allyson, Caleb, and Reese, and he will become a great-grandfather with the birth of his first great-grandchild in the summer of 2023. Also surviving Jimmy are his sister-in-law Terrie, his brother Johnny Swafford and his family, his sister Judy Hendrix and her family, and countless other family members and special friends.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his father Videll, mother Bea, sister Elizabeth, and his much-loved and deeply missed son-in-law, Jeff Jones.

Our family would like to recognize and give special thanks and honor to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, and the many doctors and nurses who cared for Jimmy in his final three weeks on Earth with us. We would especially like to thank and send love to Dr. Heather Dalton, Jimmy's champion and the touchstone of our family while our Jimmy was in Parkland's wonderful care. They are amazing, each and every one of the Parkland staff, and we would have been lost without them all.

Jimmy was a blessing and a light, and brought joy and love into the lives of everyone with whom he ever crossed paths. To his family, Jimmy was a giant, a legend, and a hero. We all aspire to be the people he thought we were, and hope to continue to make him proud forever, living as a loving family, supporting and caring for one another as we always have and he loved to witness.

Two Celebrations of Life will be held to honor Jimmy, to which all are invited.

The first will be on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 4:00 PM, at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home in Colleyville, Texas. A reception will follow the service.

The second will be held at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, January 21. The family will receive visitors at 1:00 PM, and the service will begin at 2:00 PM. A reception will follow the service.

We are very appreciative of the love, support, and prayers we have received in recent weeks. We have been blessed with tremendous friends and family, and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bluebonnethills.com for the Swafford family.