James was born April 23, 1928 to James Robert Giffen and Berniece Elizabeth Boone Giffen in Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated from Fort Worth Technical High School in 1945, attended Texas A&M from July of 1945 to June of 1946 and participated in A&M's officer candidate training. In July of 1946 he enlisted in the army and served near the end of World War II until February of 1948. He completed his Business Administration degree at The University of Texas in 1951. Always a hard worker, he supported himself during his early years, by delivering newspapers and telegrams and many other odd jobs too numerous to name. He later earned his MA at Columbia University in New York City while working for McKesson & Robbins, Inc.
After he was discharged from the army, he was visiting his grandparents in Saint Jo, Texas where he met Dorothy Marie Johns, a young woman whom he thought resembled Shirley Temple. He fell in love and discovered that the whole town also loved her as they helped their wedding day become a reality. They were married July 29, 1949.
Jim began working for McKesson in 1951 in Oklahoma City as an accounting trainee. Promotions took him to Houston, Texas, Wichita, Kansas, and then to the home office in New York City in 1956, where he became Assistant to the Comptroller. In 1961, he was again promoted to Data Center Manager in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he established McKesson's first Data Center. He and two other men pioneered the application of computer technology to the business arena, writing software for tracking purchasing and inventory. This was the pilot program for IBM's first mainframe computer. In fact, they had to delay the completion of their project until IBM could unveil its premiere mainframe at a Chicago Conference in January of 1963. Three months later, James led a team to begin installing the IBM 790 computer (7090 DPS). When the installation was complete, they jubilantly celebrated a perfect alignment of the three separate routines written by the three men, a feat rarely accomplished. The new system revolutionized McKesson's business. Jim went on to establish the inventory management system in warehouses located in New Haven, Connecticut, Springfield and Boston, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. In 1965 he was transferred to Dallas in order to establish McKesson's second Data Center. Over the next nine years he implemented the inventory management system in 35 more of McKesson's warehouses, adding to the growing system accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and a buying function. During that time, Jim put in a multitude of overtime hours for which he was not paid. When asked about this injustice, he commented, "I didn't mind because I was having so much fun." In 1974, he returned to the home office, now in San Francisco, as assistant to the Comptroller, managing all the accounting systems. Ten years later he retired after 33 years with the company.
In 1984, moving back to extended family in Texas, Jim joined as Vice President of Capital Solutions, with his son Doug as President in the newly formed corporation in the security business. As the two joined Financial Network Investment Corporation, Jim worked in the FNIC Advisory capacity as his son was a Financial Network Investment Advisor and Regional Director for FNIC, out of California. As Office Manager and Registered Rep Administrator, Jim would attend National Conferences annually to continue his education credits and continue to grow in the industry. Jim also had a large number of accounting clientele during the Tax season, working tirelessly to serve their tax needs. Jim served with his son in the business together for 29 years until finally "retiring" at age 87. He continued in an unofficial capacity to be instrumental in the finalization of his son's estate-investing his last 33 years to his second career as Administrator in the Financial Industry.
While Jim's dedication was to his work, he was committed to his Lord through serving in the local church. Yet his most cherished position was in being husband and father to his son, Doug and his daughter Debbie. Whether watching Doug throughout Baseball's Little League, running down the sideline with Doug's touchdown, or beaming with pride at Debbie's vocal music performances and designing hoop skirts for her costumes, he loved watching his children become husband and father and wife and mother, respectively. His joy came in his grandchildren and great grandchildren, which could be seen from the time he held each one in his arms.
"Very superior mental ability and superior scholastic aptitude" states a TCU test and profile on his intelligence. That is usually the first thing that someone mentions when they talk about Jim Giffen. You may or may not always agree with his conclusions, but you were usually impressed with his reasoning skills. There was much more to the man, however. As one of his grandsons put it, "one of the brightest, most pleasant, good -humored, and talented men on earth." He was a lover of music, particularly gospel music and musicals, and telling and reading stories. He especially loved to recite "Maggie and Jiggs at the Pearly Gates," which always incited laughter. Perhaps his most enviable quality was his ability to love unconditionally. He may have had opinions about what you should or should not do with your money, schooling, career, or your life, but in the end he loved you, and nothing could change that.
After Dorothy's death, he shared his love and love for life with Frances Little, of Carrollton, Texas. They attended and served First Christian Church Carrollton, where Frances was a longtime member, and served a local outreach mission, where Jim would sing even as recently as June 2017.
Jim is survived by two sisters Doris Best (Roger), Inlet, New York, and Joyce Parchman, Carrollton, Texas, his daughter Deborah Giffen Wiedeman (Stan) , Morton Grove, Illinois, daughter-in-law Carolyn Spurlock Giffen, Carrollton, Texas; grandchildren: Charles Daniel Giffen (Emily), Birmingham, Alabama, Scott Douglas Giffen (Yvi Martin), St. Louis, Missouri, Charis Wiedeman Taylor (Jeff), Hockley, Texas, James Ryan Giffen (Danica), Nashville, Tennessee, Zachariah Wiedeman, Los Angeles, California, Chayil Wiedeman Ping (Brantley), Blue Springs, Missouri, Daka Josiah Wiedeman (Keeley), Bridgeton, Missouri, Kaitlyn Marie Wiedeman, Chicago, Illinois, Sabriah Wiedeman Floberg (Eric), Chicago, Illinois, and Adriel Beth Wiedeman BlueSprings, Missouri; great grandchildren: James William Giffen, Britton Daniel Giffen, Lia Katherine Ruth Giffen, Ezekiel Martin Giffen, Eli Fenton Giffen, Caroline Collins Giffen, Jad Davidson Giffen, Lazarus Martin Giffen, Emily Grace Taylor, Janzen Lee Taylor, Braden Miles Taylor, Lillian Faith Taylor, Chloe Grace Ping, Rose Jubilee Taylor, Jaelynn Elizabeth Taylor, Jasper Nolan Ping, Miciah James Wiedeman, Scout Eric Floberg, Audra Marie Taylor, Theodore Knox Floberg, Claire Florence Taylor.
He was preceded in death by his parents; James Robert Giffen and Berniece Boone Giffen, younger brother; Robert Larkin Giffen, his wife; Dorothy Marie Johns Giffen, and his son James Douglas Giffen.
Visitation Thursday, July 6, 2017, 9 a.m. at First Christian Church of Carrollton 1835 Walnut Ave. Carrollton, Texas 75006.
Service, July 6, 2017, 10 a.m. at First Christian Church of Carrollton.
Interment, July 6, 2017 at 2:15 p.m. Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75211
Rev. Danny Giffen & Rev. Yvi Martin
Memorial Donations may be made to either:
Paul and Donna Cox (niece) (Africa Inland Mission)
c/o Joy Beless
Attn: James D. Giffen Memorial
729 E. Bethel School Rd.
Coppell, Texas 75019
or
First Christian Church of Carrollton
Attn: James D. Giffen Memorial
1835 Walnut Ave.
Carrollton, Texas 75006
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