James F. (Jim) Babb

Jim graduated from Odessa High School and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was also on the Varsity Track Team. He had a long and successful career as a mechanical engineer, and engineering manager, first for 30 years at Texas Instruments, then for another 11 years at Compaq Computer Corporation.

Jim married Opal Joyce Brant (Joyce) in 1953, and in 1955, while still a student at UT, he contracted polio. Although the disease left him in need of leg braces and a cane, he never let it dampen his positive outlook, and continued an active lifestyle, which, until recent years, included regular golfing with buddies. A devoted and beloved father and husband, Jim’s resilience came from his humility and sense of humor, as well as from his deep faith. He was actively involved in Bible Churches in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, including helping to start a church in Austin, teaching Sunday School, and serving as a deacon.

Jim’s enthusiasm for life extended in many directions. He was a lifelong, cut-me-and-I-bleed-burnt-orange Longhorn supporter and ardent fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings, as well as musicals such as The Sound of Music, Les Misérables, and Evita. Jim also loved travel and the great outdoors, and some of our fondest family memories involve exploring beloved western national parks, particularly his favorite, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Jim’s innate tenderness was shown in his love for animals—from childhood pets such as Sally the Squirrel and Honey the cocker spaniel, to his final companion, Missy, the sweet kitty who was with him until the end.

Jim is survived by his two daughters and their husbands: Genie Babb and James Liszka, of Plattsburgh, New York, and Valerie and Neil Krohn of Littleton, Colorado; his grandchildren Maddy Krohn (a junior at UCLA), Zachary Liszka (New York City), and Alexandra Sutton (Anchorage, Alaska). Other surviving family members include his brother-in-law, B. Guy Brant; his nieces, Cathleen Brazile and Pat Love; and his nephew, Guy Warren Brant, along with numerous cousins and many great-nieces and nephews. Last but not least is Conchetta Watson, long-time caregiver, whom Jim considered a third daughter.

Jim was preceded in death by Joyce, his wife of 64 years, who passed on August 26, 2017; his brother Elbert Babb, Jr.; his sisters-in-law Bennie Babb, Bobbie O’Neal, and Nita Brant; his brother-in-law Tex O’Neal; his nephews Mike Babb and Douglas Allen Brant; and his niece Benna Babb.

Donations may be made in Jim's honor to:

WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS Jim faithfully supported many Christian organizations over the years, but Wycliffe was particularly close to his heart because three of his cousins are Wycliffe missionaries

https://www.wycliffe.org/projects/give-your-gift-in-honor-or-memory-of-a-loved-one

for “project name and/or ID,” please use Paul and Maggie Frank, or David and Lynn Frank

or to:

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY in remembrance of Jim’s love of animals, and in honor of Missy, his sweet companion to the end

https://support.bestfriends.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=memorials_api_eCard&_ga=2.133090510.1746032050.1519602457-1927522705.1519602457

STORIES ABOUT JIM (A.K.A. BONEY) BABB

These are just a sampling of the many stories we’ve loved over the years involving Dad, and we’re only sorry we couldn’t include more. Stories are arranged here in roughly chronological order, and dates refer to when (approximately) the stories happened. Many of these stories are taken from a memory book presented to Jim and Joyce on their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2003.

NORMAN McGLOTHLIN, dear friend and next-door neighbor from UT days

1955: After Boney was home from the hospital with Polio, I would go over in the mornings to help him into his wheelchair and do whatever I could before leaving for class. When I came in at noon, I would go over and see if Boney needed anything. One day, as I entered my apartment, I heard banging and bumping and a loud voice next door. I went over right away and there was a very upset Boney, sweat pouring from his face and furniture pushed out of place. I asked him what in the world was wrong, and this is the story he told.

He had gotten hungry and all he could find was one can of soup. Getting a pan to heat the soup and opening the can while in a wheel chair in a little shotgun kitchen was really hard work. He finally got the soup heated, put it in a bowl, put the bowl in his lap and very carefully backed out of the kitchen and made his way to the table. He decided he wanted some crackers with the soup, so he turned around and went back into the kitchen. When he came back to the table, the cat was eating his soup! The noise I heard was Boney trying to catch the cat. Boney said, “Norman, if you will catch that damn cat and hold him, I’ll run over him!” We both had a good laugh.

GENE LEE and DENNY SHADRICK, 1982, Texas Instruments colleagues, on the occasion of Jim’s 25th anniversary at TI

1963: It seems as though every job Jim has ever worked on he has had to do some pioneering in state of the art techniques. One particularly interesting activity was back in 1963 when Jim was pioneering electronic packaging involving the new integrated circuits and placement on a thing called a mother board. This project was being done for the military and to meet the strict environmental specs, Jim decided he had to encapsulate the whole assembly in a potting compound. His first attempt as usual was a disaster because the potting compound didn’t cure and he was left with a big gooey mess that he had to clean off and start over. In those days he worked for Jim Clardy who worked for Paul Smith. Paul was the kind of person who always wanted to know who was responsible when things got screwed up. So he asked Clardy who was responsible for the potting compound incident and Clardy in a protective mood said, “you really don’t want to know.” Clardy decided that Jim needed something for the screw up so he gathered together a pile of junk electronic components, placed them on Babb’s desk and poured Babb’s potting compound on top of it. Before Babb could get it cleaned off, Paul Smith came by and demanded to know who was responsible and this time to protect himself Clardy replied, “you really don’t want to know.”

1969: Everybody knows about Jim’s leg braces. Right after we moved from Dallas to Austin, a particularly tight project schedule called for Babb and a few others to work on Saturday. One of the cleaning people knocked over a long sheet metal coat rack and it tumbled down the stairs. Heads, including Babb’s, popped out of cubicles to see what the racket was, and Babb said, “I thought I heard myself falling down out here.”

1982: One of the more extraordinary things about Jim Babb is not that he has been here 25 years. The extraordinary thing is that he has been in trouble for 25 years—that we know of. No one is sure, but it is believed that Jim was left at the Lemon Avenue plant about 1957 by two guys in a pick-up truck and was subsequently assigned to the APO SB Program in the old apparatus division and with a cast of characters that included people like Ray McCord, Sam Smith, Jim Eckhart and Doss Dunlap. He was in the old military computer branch on the 2500 Series computer program and the first TIPI program with people like Paul Smith, Bill Martin, Jim Clardy, Richard Jennings, Randy Gilliam, Kelsy Walker and Tom Stringfellow (not to mention myself). He went to Austin with military computers and from there to Houston—leaving behind him a record of technical success that was just one step ahead of disaster. But Jim has always liked adversity and has handled it very well. So here’s to you Babb—and another 25 years of playing your trouble like a harmonica.

JIM & JOY RUSS, Jim Babb’s cousin and his wife, from Jim’s mother’s side

THE MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTER ON THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, as told by Joy Russ

1980: As this is a Southern Tale it might be best if you get yourself a coke and set down for a spell.

Did you know that the Blue Ridge Parkway runs from Texas to Virginia by way of Georgia? Neither did we. But here are the pictures to prove it.

Back 25 or so years ago my Jim and I were going to Washington by way of the Parkway. And having stopped for lunch at one of the few places along the road, with several hundred or so others, we were in the gift shop when, lo and behold, I went up to my Jim and said, "Honey, it's been at least ten years since I've heard your Texas cousin's voice. Come listen, I swear to you, it's him." So like the dutiful male that he was raised to be by our Southern grandmother (Momee) and mother (Benna), her daughter, he went to listen. Well, lo and behold, there was nothing left for him to do but sneak up behind this guy and say something smart-aleck to a guy who could have turned around and hit him with one of those canes he always has around. But instead, Jimmy, being one of those smart Babb-Fuller boys, he heard the voice and knew it was his cousin from that great state of Georgia. So he says something smart himself, gives Jim a big olde Texas hug, and much to our delight, his soft-spoken wife, Joyce, his long tall daddy, Elbert Sr., and none other than our Aunt Norma; who like my Jim's mama, was from Atlanta and raised by none other than that great southern lady, Mrs. Bernard Odessa Megee Fuller, was there as well.

Now you have the story of how after ten years, we cousins found each other in such unusual circumstances. Also, a great lesson to be learned: Never speak unkindly of cousins. For you never know when, unbeknownst to you, they may be within earshot. Even if one lives in Texas and the other in Georgia and you yourself are in the Great Smokey Mountains of Virginia.

Bye the way, have you noticed how many connecting names there are in our family: Jim, Jimmy, Joy, Joyce, and Odessa?

DEE & JIM SCHMIDT, dear friends from Houston

Jim and Joyce were our closest friends and we had many fun times, such as

1. The drive to the hill country, which took from about 9 am to 5 pm because when my Jim drove (only about 50 miles) we stopped at every antique and junk store in sight!! That 50 miles took about 3 hours! Jim Babb vowed never to let Jim Schmidt drive again!

2. The trip to San Francisco (1988): Strike one, the door fell off of the plane. Strike two: the car was a smoker. Strike three (almost): the “motel” the guys chose because of the rates.

3. The UT-Notre Dame game in Austin. Poor Jim Babb barely made it up the stadium steps, and then we had to stand the entire game. Had the Horns won it would have been worth it!

STEVE CHAMBERS, work colleague at Compaq, and dear friend

In the early '90's, I went to work for Jim in his Mechanical Engineering Group. Within that group, and virtually nowhere else, I was considered to be somewhat computer savvy. Thus, I was occasionally called upon to help with some equipment upgrade or modification. One day, very early in my tenure with Jim's team, I was working on Jim's computer with limited success. I don't recall the specific issue, only that I was going to be forced to leave him with a computer that was only partially functional for some period of time. Distracted by the issue at hand, I gave Jim an update which began "I'm afraid that I have left you crippled for the moment ..."

Jim immediately burst out laughing, saying "No, Steve. I don't believe you have left me crippled."

Before I had a chance to consider the awkwardness of my phrasing, Jim had spared me the embarrassment, and even had me laughing at the situation. I'll never forget it.

…

No day went by without Jim making some mention of Joyce, always with adoration in his voice and eye. On at least one occasion I'm not sure how he managed it. He had taken Joyce shopping for cars the night before. As he explained it, they walked into a showroom where Joyce saw a blue car she really wanted. Jim said she just walked up to it, said "Jimmy, I want this one," and virtually wrapped herself around the vehicle.

Jim then asked me "Do you know what something like that does to your negotiating position?" I can only imagine. But it mattered not. Joyce got that car.

DEAN CROWE, daughter of Jim Russ, Jim’s first cousin on his mother’s side

1992: I remember Jimmy and Benna (Jim Babb’s aunt) going on and on at my parents’ dining room table during Sunday lunch about PEAK TOOTHPASTE! And Jimmy giving Benna a sack full of toothpaste and the two of them laughing and laughing and then going on and on again about how “clean your mouth really feels!”

SANDRA ORGAN, dear friend of Valerie and family

1998: I can just hear Mr. Babb’s broad Texas drawl say my name even now, say, “Now, Sandy?” Spending Christmas eves with the Babbs, be it at Trish and Val’s Apt or Café Adobe, I felt I was one of his adopted daughters. Watching Longhorn football with him was fun despite my Husker loyalty, or taking in an Astros game or a movie, I was just one of his girls, maybe more of a tomboy one, than I was with my own Dad. Though, Mr. Babb and I became traveling best buddies, when I helped Valerie and Neil drive one of the cars up to Colorado, from Tulsa. I was driving Cinnamon Girl, Valerie’s honda, while she drove their Explorer with dog, cat, Joyce and 15-month-old Maddy, and Neil drove the moving van. Mr. Babb had his big Expedition with all the pulleys and rigging of an engineer I assume he personally installed to help him in and out of that mammoth vehicle. At one point our caravan got separated, as Mr. Babb and I needed to make a pitstop, quickly. We had walkie talkies, as no cell phones or googlemaps were ours at that juncture. Well, unfortunately, the nearest exit did not yield the nearest facilities, and we drove several interminable miles before a bathroom was reached, and just in time! At that point, we thought we were way behind the rest, and had time to make up. He had the map, and I followed along in his wake.

Then, this huge Kansas thunderstorm overtakes us. Me, I hate thunderstorms at night, and my way to make it through was to sing every hymn to the good Lord I knew to keep my fears in check. Finally, this Nebraska girl, with her nose for tornados, saw all the signs…crisscrossing bands of rain, lightning, low clouds, as the little Honda civic was buffeted in the blast. I managed to get close enough to the Expedition to make my walkie talkie heard, and told Mr. Babb I thought it was time to pull under one of the interstate bridges, because that there is tornado time out there….or something to that effect. He said, yeah, isn’t it great? And I’m thinking, no…it aint! But we did manage to pull underneath the next one of those bunkers we came to, and sat tight in our own vehicles walkie talking, me explaining my fears and coping mechanisms, and him laughing and glorying in the God’s brilliant display of might. The brunt of the storm passed, and we made our way to Hays, KS to the hotel…and still somehow managed to beat at least one of the cars there. We waited in the lobby until all arrived and shared stories. The newspapers the next day indeed reported tornadoes in the area. I knew it! From then on we were traveling buds, Mr. Babb and I.

GUY & NITA BRANT, Joyce’s brother and his wife, on the occasion of Jim & Joyce’s 50th wedding anniversary in 2003

Dear Joyce and Jimmy,

Congratulations to two of our most favorite people on the occasion of your fiftieth wedding anniversary. We consider you both not just family but Friends. In the past fifty years, so many happy memories come to mind. Because so many times we got together turned into fiascos, we sort of expected the unexpected and laughed through them!!

1953: One thing I remember is that Joyce was driving alone to their wedding when she had car trouble. It didn’t bother her at all just to hitch a ride into town from Goldsmith, carrying her wedding dress!

1974: Another time both our families met at Baylor for Parent’s Weekend when Genie and Doug were in school there. When we got to the motel, we learned we had only one room reservation so all four of us stayed in the one small room.

1968: More complicated than that was the time when our two families met in San Antonio to go to the Hemisfair. When we arrived, we discovered our two rooms shared the bathroom (eight of us!)

1975: Remember the time when the two of you, Genie, Guy and I went to Estes Park to visit Valerie. We were there for a week and one by one we all got sick with the stomach flu!

1974: We can’t forget the time you came to see us in Amarillo. We went to see the Texas outdoor drama in Palo Duro Canyon. It came a flood and we were soaked to the skin and freezing!

1978-2018: What a blessing it is to live in the same town and enjoy each other, not as often as we would like, but just knowing you are there means so much. I love you both so much and just wouldn’t trade you for anyone else. Now, let’s go have some more fun ! ! ! !

NEWTON & VERNON FRANK, Jim’s cousin and her husband, from Jim’s father’s side, on the occasion of Jim & Joyce’s 50th wedding anniversary in 2003

How special it is to us to share with you in this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, celebrating so many years

of God’s grace and love. We think of good times and hard times in your lives, and remember how you have demonstrated a steady trust in our Lord, even when there were major difficulties.

We remember your special qualities, like Joyce’s graciousness and concern for others, her deep desire to share what God has gifted her with, her touch for beauty which makes her surroundings always lovely to the eye.

Then there are Jimmy’s special qualities. He is able to find the good in a situation, “roll with the punches,” put the humorous touch on every day. Yet the humor is not to mask or avoid dealing with real stuff. He is willing to face real issues and talk about deep things.

Both of your have had special challenges, with health, with family concerns, and any number of the otherings that have come your way. Some people complain, and doubt God with life is not easy. You have been different. You have been honest about the difficulties, but you have stood strong in believing that God is wise and is to be trusted.

We thank God that you are part of our family, part of our heritage, and companions in the faith as well. Because of time and distances, we don’t have many opportunities to share and enjoy that special fellowship. That’s why it is such a blessing to have the kind of relationship that does not have to start over from the beginning after time has elapsed. There is a solid base that doesn’t erode. There is a solid rock.

May the next years be as permeated with god’s grace and beauty as the last 50 have, and may your lives continue to be a living example of what it means to walk with Christ.

And finally, saved till last, the most famous Jim Babb story:

AL & NANCY BLAYLOCK, dear friends from UT and Texas Instruments

THE TRINITY RIVER GOLF CLUB STORY, as told by Al Blaylock

1960: This story has been around a long time and told all over TI. So here are the correct (nearly) facts. Sometime around 1960 Boney, myself and our TI buddies played often at Knollwood Golf Course on the Trinity River near Irving. Often when Boney and I were playing together he would want to borrow my 3 wood to hit off the tee box. As a result of polio Boney wore braces on both legs and on a windy golf day he could be unsteady in his swing. He could not get his body into his swing very much, it was mostly all arms. On this particular Saturday when we were playing at Knollwood and approaching the next tee box Boney asked if he could borrow my 3 wood to hit off that tee. Of course, I said that was okay. The hole we were getting ready to play ran right next to a very full Trinity River and it was a pretty windy day. So just when Boney was in act of driving his golf ball with my 3 wood a gust of wind came up, he lost his balance and my club slipped out of his hands and landed in the middle of the Trinity River. We were all stunned for a second, then the others in our foursome laughed and Boney said, “Al, I didn’t like that club, do you have another one?” (That isn’t really what he said but later Boney said that would have been a great line.) When I submitted my insurance claim for the lost club they asked if it was a “mysterious disappearance” and I said “It surely was!”, not really realizing they probably meant was it stolen. The insurance paid off the price that had been quoted to me at the golf shop to replace it. When I went to the golf shop to get the new Spalding 3 wood they had ordered for me they charged me $5.00 less than they had quoted. When I told Boney he wanted to know if I was going to split the $5.00 with him.