Sunday, March 16, 2025
James Robert McNew passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, Jan. 31, 2025, at the age of 82.
Jim was born in Owensboro, Kentucky Sept. 6, 1942, to George J. McNew Jr. and Margaret Virginia Gregory. His sister Joye was born a year later, and the family lived in Louisville until moving to Fort Worth in 1954.
He graduated with a BBA and an MBA from TCU, where he was a member of ROTC. He served honorably as a captain in the Army, including active duty in Vietnam.
He worked as a management consultant with his father, whom he idolized. He later worked in the cabinet industry.
In January 1969, he met Terry Self during her break between semesters at Hardin Simmons. She sent him a courtesy invitation to her 1970 graduation in Abilene even though he was stationed in Virginia. When he attended despite the distance she began to see him in a different light. During his 10 months in Vietnam they wrote to each other every day. He flew home in October 1971 with a diamond in his chest pocket. Borrowing a song lyric, he asked her, “What are you doing the rest of your life?” They married April 8, 1972, in Wichita Falls.
Their first home was in Oak Trail Shores. One day, on her way to teach first grade in Granbury, Terry saw a house for sale on Travis Street. They bought it in 1976. With the help of family and friends, they added a white picket fence and made it a loving home and gathering place. They later welcomed two sons, Gregory and Jeffrey.
He grew up a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and instilled in his nephews and sons a love of baseball, buying them baseball cards and taking them to many Ranger games. He played catch, mowed mazes in the yard, built a treehouse, and faithfully attended his sons’ many Little League games.
One of his happy places was the family farm in Bee Branch, Arkansas, where he and his dad built a yellow house that has been the center of vacation adventures in the creeks, fields and woods.
In 1990, he and Terry helped found Brazos River Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school. He led the music for all 34-plus years, including his last Sunday.
He avoided attention but loved deep conversations and “midnight questions” that kept people engaged well past their bedtimes. He was his own worst critic but was merciful and loving to everyone he met.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law, Oscar Hinojosa.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Terry; sons Greg and wife Audrey of Leander and Jeff and wife Juss of Granbury; grandchildren Emily, Abel, Samson, Bennett and Calvin; sister Joye Hinojosa of Waco; and nephews Victor and Carlos Hinojosa of Waco.
“Well done, thy good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
