James Earl Winn

James “Jim” Earl Winn passed away peacefully on the 14th of July 2024, at his home in Houston, after a brief illness and following the death of his beloved wife of 61 years, Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Winn. He was 87 years of age.

Jim was born the 26th of June 1937 in Houston, the son of Mary Hall Hamilton and William Honley Winn. His mother passed away when he was four years old. When his father went to U.S. Navy officer training school to serve in World War II, Jim and his brother William “Bill” Winn went to live with relatives in Arkansas and Texas.

Then after a brief time in Louisiana, Jim’s family returned to Houston, where he graduated from Lamar High School and was a competitive diver. During this time, Jim spent five summers at the rustic Arkansas Camp Tahkodah in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains which fueled his love of nature. Jim attended Sewanee: The University of the South and Southern Methodist University before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in business administration. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

After graduation, Jim joined the General Electric Company for a computer training program, and then spent most of his career at Daniel Industries as a computer programmer. With Daniel, he spent time in the Middle East and Europe, including on oil platforms in the North Sea.

Jim’s love of the outdoors and nature shaped his life. He loved hiking in the U.S. Southwest and Colorado, taking river trips down the Rio Grande River, and enjoying the Texas Hill Country. He and Betsy traveled the globe as avid birders and enjoyed places of natural beauty, including Alaska, the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, Costa Rica, and both Canadian Coasts. They spent many summers in Victoria and Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.

As a champion of nature, conservation and birds, Jim found his calling at Houston Audubon. He and his Wandering Warblers group helped make the annual Birdathon fundraiser successful for many years. Jim served the organization in many leadership capacities including President of the Board of Directors, Interim Executive Director, and Development Chair. He was awarded the Laura Singleton Exceptional Volunteer Award in 2011, and in 2021 humbly accepted the Houston Audubon’s Lifetime Service Award. In the last few years, Jim co-produced an extensive history of Houston Audubon. He continued to serve on the Board of Advisors until his passing.

Jim was a member of Houston’s St. Francis Episcopal Church for much of his adult life, where he made lifelong friends and relished the St Francis community. Most recently he became a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston and enjoyed participating in the Men’s Lectionary Bible Study and the “Ordinary Life” class.

Jim never stopped learning and working for causes he deeply believed in. He joined in several mission trips to aid migrants on the Texas/Mexico border, and was a devoted volunteer at The Gathering at St. Francis, providing support to dementia patients and their caregivers. He was always curious about the world, open-minded, and inclusive, and he lived his life with integrity, empathy, and humility. Jim lived his faith, feeling strongly about doing the right thing.

He is survived by daughters, Anne Runge (Tom) and Carolyn Breslin; grandchildren, Lou Runge, James Runge and Melanie Breslin; his brother, Bill Winn; and numerous extended family members.

A memorial service to honor Jim’s life is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 31st of July at Saint Francis Episcopal Church, 345 Piney Point Road in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the parish hall.

For those unable to attend the service in-person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Jim’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the service section.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to Houston Audubon, 440 Wilchester Blvd., Houston, TX 77079, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 Main St, Houston, TX 77004, St. Francis Episcopal Church, 345 Piney Point Rd, Houston, TX 77024 or the charity of your choice.