James William Brown III

James W. Brown, III was born on December 8, 1950 in Dallas, TX. He passed away peacefully on March 11, 2024 at the age of 73, surrounded by his family.

James (known to most as "Jimmy" or "Pops") is the son of James W. Brown, II and Beverly Emmett Brown. He was raised in Dallas, attending Preston Hollow Elementary, Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School, where he graduated in the class of 1969. Following in his parents' footsteps, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He spent a few years away from his beloved state of Texas while pursuing his master's degree in American Literature at the University of South Carolina, but upon graduation, he quickly returned home. Those who know Jimmy from later in life may be surprised to know that he wrote and published a book of poetry in 1975 and also wrote articles for the Dallas Times Herald. Many of his writings were influenced by his love of the outdoors, including time spent hiking the Appalachian Trail and sailing in the Charleston Harbor.

On May 18, 1974, he married Lynne Riley in Wynne Chapel at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Jimmy and Lynne welcomed their first child, Julia Elizabeth, in 1977. Son, James William IV, was born in 1979, followed by son, Bradley Emmett in 1983. Jimmy and Lynne built a wonderful life together and shared many special memories. This May, they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

In 1974, Jimmy joined his father and brothers in working at General Packaging Corporation, the family packaging business where he spent his entire career. GPC was where Jimmy established himself as a true entrepreneur and businessman. He helped to grow the company with his hard work and tireless dedication. Even during difficult times running a small business, he was always optimistic and knew he just had to work harder. He established strong relationships throughout his years at GPC, and was very loved by his staff and customers - many of whom he considered lifelong friends. His sons, James and Bradley, proudly run the company today in the strong tradition set by Jimmy and his father before him.

On a sunny day, you would occasionally see Jimmy driving around town in his prized 1957 red Thunderbird. He loved working in the yard and playing golf. He and Lynne cherished their time exploring national parks, especially Big Bend, and Jimmy had an uncanny ability to identify by name practically every tree and shrub. One of his favorite pastimes was coaching his kids' teams. He coached softball, t-ball, and little league baseball, loving every minute of that role. He had an amazing memory and could tell you the score of some of those games decades later.

A devoted husband, father and grandfather, Jimmy impacted so many people in his life. He was known for his warmth, kindness and legendary storytelling. He could talk to anyone, anywhere and rarely passed up an opportunity to pull people aside to talk. Some of his favorite moments were spent watching his grandchildren play sports or perform at school. He and Lynne loved spending time at their home near Possum Kingdom Lake and having dinner with friends at Northwood Club, where they have been members for many years. Jimmy was a true Texan. He loved the simple things in life such as grilling dinner and watching a great baseball game. Seeing his Texas Rangers win the World Series in 2023 was a thrill, especially since he wasn't shy about sharing that he has been a season ticket holder since the 1970s and that it was "about time!" He often referenced his favorite movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," because he believed that if you live an honorable life, work hard and surround yourself with family, it truly is a wonderful life.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his father, James W. Brown II. He is survived by his mother, Beverly Emmett Brown; his wife, Lynne Riley Brown; daughter, Julia Brown Melihercik (husband Nate); son, James W. Brown IV (wife Katy), son, Bradley Emmett Brown (wife Whitney); his brother, Britt Brown (wife Liz); brother, Jeff Brown (wife Kelly); and his 8 grandchildren, Anna Melihercik, William Melihercik, Harrison Brown, Shepherd Brown, Annette Brown, Larkin Brown, Brennan Brown and Heather Brown.

The family would like to thank the heroic efforts of the UT Southwestern doctors and nurses who fought by his side every day.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX. Any donations in honor of Jimmy may be made to the UT Southwestern Kidney Cancer Research Fund.