James "Jim" Harmon Godwin

James Harmon “Jim” “Sonny” Godwin was born on May 24, 1933 in Center, Texas to William Armor and Bertha Olivia DeFee Godwin. He moved to Houston when he was just six weeks old and led a long and adventurous life.

Jim was an entrepreneur from the start, selling newspapers at the age of six. He had an engineer’s mind and could figure out any problem or machine. He attended Lubbock Elementary School, Jackson Junior High and graduated from Milby High School in 1952.

At the age of 19, Jim enlisted in the Air Force where he rose to Sergeant and worked on engines and assembly of all types of planes. That service took him to Amarillo, California and London. Jim worked for various oilfield equipment companies until Rice University recruited him in 1963 where he worked for 17 years. He was very proud of his accomplishments there, especially working on the first artificial heart with Drs. Debakey and Cooley. In addition, he worked on the first sounding rockets NASA sent into space, a lunar landing package and the Buckey Ball, with a team who later won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

Building on his experience at Rice, he went on his own and founded Godwin Machine Works in Spring Branch. The company developed directional drilling tools for such industry giants as Schlumberger and Halliburton.

Jim always had a special place in his heart for animals and children. He served on the board of the Houston SPCA for many years and was a major donor to them, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and Rice University. In 2005, he created the “James H. Godwin Professor of Natural Sciences Endowment” at Rice. He was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for “furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.”

It is impossible to list the number of people he touched with his generosity, wisdom and experience. He was also known for his quick wit and sense of humor and was a loyal friend to those who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Casille Gessner, Laverne Godwin, Weldon “Bo” Godwin and Helen Upton. They are surely celebrating together now.

He is survived by his wife, Suzy Steeg Godwin, and children Mike and Pam Godwin, Gary and Peggy Godwin, Brad and Sharon Godwin and Elisabeth and Brandon Hanson, along with grandchildren Kristy and David Martin, Karen and Grace Godwin, and great-grandchildren James and Kyle Godwin and Benjamin and Andrew Martin, cousins Darrell and Linda DeFee, Derek and Courtney DeFee, Nicole Defee and Derek Jr. and Dylan DeFee, along with numerous other loving family members and friends.

Visitation will be held at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, on Sunday, September 10th from 3 – 5 pm.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Hankamer Chapel at Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive on Monday, September 11th, 2023 at 1 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests with gratitude that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.