James "Jim" M. Burton

James “Jim” M. Burton, passed away peacefully on October 3, 2024, at 6:16 p.m., surrounded by family and friends. Born on February 28, 1943, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Jim lived a life that was meaningful, purpose driven, and full of heart. He was the kind of man who would do anything for anyone, always with that easy-going smile and a knack for making you feel like you were home.

Jim’s story began in Oil City, Louisiana, where he grew up mowing yards with a manual mower, loving his pet crow, and later playing basketball and setting track records at North Caddo High School—an All-Star athlete and member of the National Honor Society, it was clear he was a young man full of promise. He graduated in 1961, then headed to Northeast Louisiana University before serving his country in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968. After his service, Jim earned a degree from the University of Southwest New Mexico.

On May 25, 1970, Jim married the love of his life, Gayla Coats, and together they built a life that was rich in love, devotion, and simplistic beauty. Jim worked as a chemist for Skelly Oil, Getty Oil, and Texaco Oil, starting in 1968, and dedicated decades to the industry until his retirement in 2003. While a leader in his field, and whip smart, Jim wasn’t a man defined by his career- he was a man defined by the way he lived.

Jim loved the simple pleasures: a good family road trip, with Alabama blaring and an adventure being both the ride and destination; sitting on the porch, swatting flies, and talking about nothing unless you made him- and then he could intelligently talk about everything; and always a big breakfast, because, “You never know when you’re gonna eat again.” He found joy in the everyday—whether it was fishing at Caddo Lake or up in the wilds of Canada, quail and pheasant hunting, or skiing the slopes in Angel Fire, Taos, and Red River with his family. He was easy to love and even easier to be around. Game nights with friends or a Rangers game on TV felt like magic in his presence.

In 1978, Jim, Gayla, and their daughter, Kelly, born in 1974, settled in Pampa, Texas. There, Jim didn’t just become part of the community—he helped shape it. As a devoted member and president of the Kiwanis Club, Jim took pride in his work with the American Flag Program and always found ways to give back. In 2014 Jim and Gayla built their dream home and moved to Lubbock, Texas to be closer to family and enjoy their retirement years. His heart was as big as the Texas sky he loved so much.

Jim is survived by his daughter, Kelly Burton of Lubbock, Texas, and several close family members, including his sister and brother-in-law, Jane and Ed Zansler of Montgomery, Texas; brother-in-law, Lloyd P. Coats of Chillicothe, Texas; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Beverly and Rick Cox of Lubbock, Texas. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Gayla; his parents, Keith and Emogene Burton; and his brother, Scott Burton of Eunice, New Mexico.

A celebration of Jim’s life will take place on October 10, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Resthaven Memorial Chapel in Lubbock, Texas. True to his nature, there will be no formal receiving of family and friends—just a simple gathering to remember the man who lived fully, loved deeply, and always left you with a full heart and a story to tell. Come as you are, with a memory or two, and let’s honor Jim the way he’d want: with warmth, laughter, and maybe a game of canasta after, just for good measure.