| Jim Davis Midland, TX |
After graduating from Sulphur High, I enrolled in Mechanical Engineering at McNeese that fall.
Attended 2 years there then transferred to LSU, for a year. In June 1961 I married Janelle Vines from
Westlake. That fall, I enlisted in the army and spent 6 months in Shreveport and 2 1/2 years in
Pirmasens, Germany. I was there when President Kennedy was killed. Things were pretty tense for
6 months especially between the East Germans and us.
A little side note during my time in Germany: My uncle had been the Provost Marshal in Pirmasens
and had returned to the States about 6 months before I arrived. I had been on post for about 3
months and I asked my commanding officer a Captain Noland, if he knew a Major P. J. Fowler, and
yes he knew the SOB. Come to find out later, Uncle Phil had thrown the guy in jail for being drunk
and disorderly. Life was a little difficult for the next 6 months until the Captain was passed over for
promotion for the third and last time before being relived from active duty.
I came home at the end of my enlistment in 1964 and worked for a year with Bernard & Burke
Engineers before returning to LSU in 1965. Being in the service for the prior 3 years and working a
year, the 1st semester consisted of a lot of 3:AM study nights.
I graduated from LSU in January 1967 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. 22 engineers of all
disciplines graduated that semester. The Dean of Engineering thought LSU was getting too easy
and needed to tighten up until his assistant deans pointed out no engineers had graduated the
preceding semester.
I started work that January for LTV Electro Systems in Dallas working on an interrogating satellite
system until May of 1968 when I left and went to work for Gulf Pipeline in Houston. In October 1968,
Julie, my daughter was born and August 1970 my son James was born. 1971 came around and I
completed all of the requirements to become a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and
Louisiana. The next year, 1972 I was promoted to Area Superintendent and moved to Odessa, Texas.
I worked for another 5 years for Gulf Pipeline until August 1978 when I left and went to work for
Eagleton Engineering in Houston. I didn’t care for the consulting business and left after 1 year and
returned to Sulphur in 1979 and joined Cities Service PCD engineering group and worked there for
three years until they shut down. At this time, I was contacted by the Pipeline Technology Group a
subsidiary of Kaneb Energy called me and asked to go to work for them as the Hackberry Strategic
Petroleum Reserve Manager, I worked there for 4 years until 1987 and then transferred as Manager
to the Bryan Mound SPR site in Freeport, Texas and stayed there until 1991. By this time I had had
enough working with the Department of Energy and decided it was time to get back to the real world.
I obtained a real job as Pipeline Superintendent for Sinclair Pipeline in Wyoming, thinking all the
while I would leave the mosquito swarms behind in Texas. This was a big mistake, the Wyoming
misquotes are big enough to eat wolves whole. I left for Wyoming on January 2, 1991 the
temperature that day was 85 degrees in Freeport and flew to Casper, Wyoming to a 40 below zero
welcome, what a shock! Believe me Wyoming is a nice place to visit in the Summer but too darn cold
in the winter. I lived in Rawlins, Wyoming a very unfriendly place not really the end of the world, but
you could definitely see it from there. I stayed there for 3 frozen years and finally got an opportunity
to move to Midland in 1993 (it took me 2 years to thaw out). This job was with Enron Oil Trading and
Transportation (EOTT) as Pipeline Manager and later as Engineering Project Manager. Our 1st
granddaughter, Erin, was born in Casper about 8 days prior to us transferring to Midland. Our second
grandchild, Austin was born in 1996, and the third, Haley in 2002. During this time, Enron had its
catastrophic collapse in 2000, dragging EOTT with them. The company (EOTT) managed to barely
struggle along until Plans All American bought them in 2004. I was asked to stay on due to the
shortage of experienced engineers. The Enron collapse also made it necessary I continue working
since their demise erased my 401K.
Midland, Texas is a great place to live if you can get accustomed to the sand storms and terrible
water but the Winters are very short. It better be, as it looks like I might have to stay here a while
since all 3 of our grand children live out here and they need our attention.
During this time I found the art and fun of segmented woodturning. Since there are about 300+ days
a year sunshine, there is plenty of daylight to make segmented bowls, vases and platters. Being a
member of the American Association of Woodturners I have demonstrated various parts of the Art in
Lubbock, San Angelo, Crossville, Tennessee and Wichita Falls, Texas. I have been a demonstrator at
the South West Area Turners meet 4 times. This is the second largest symposium held in the United
States. The AAW nation meet is the largest with over a 1000+ attending. Last year we had 580
(SWAT) woodturners and their wives attend.
If I decide to retire sometime in 2010 or later at least I will have a hobby I can have fun with.
Attended 2 years there then transferred to LSU, for a year. In June 1961 I married Janelle Vines from
Westlake. That fall, I enlisted in the army and spent 6 months in Shreveport and 2 1/2 years in
Pirmasens, Germany. I was there when President Kennedy was killed. Things were pretty tense for
6 months especially between the East Germans and us.
A little side note during my time in Germany: My uncle had been the Provost Marshal in Pirmasens
and had returned to the States about 6 months before I arrived. I had been on post for about 3
months and I asked my commanding officer a Captain Noland, if he knew a Major P. J. Fowler, and
yes he knew the SOB. Come to find out later, Uncle Phil had thrown the guy in jail for being drunk
and disorderly. Life was a little difficult for the next 6 months until the Captain was passed over for
promotion for the third and last time before being relived from active duty.
I came home at the end of my enlistment in 1964 and worked for a year with Bernard & Burke
Engineers before returning to LSU in 1965. Being in the service for the prior 3 years and working a
year, the 1st semester consisted of a lot of 3:AM study nights.
I graduated from LSU in January 1967 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. 22 engineers of all
disciplines graduated that semester. The Dean of Engineering thought LSU was getting too easy
and needed to tighten up until his assistant deans pointed out no engineers had graduated the
preceding semester.
I started work that January for LTV Electro Systems in Dallas working on an interrogating satellite
system until May of 1968 when I left and went to work for Gulf Pipeline in Houston. In October 1968,
Julie, my daughter was born and August 1970 my son James was born. 1971 came around and I
completed all of the requirements to become a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and
Louisiana. The next year, 1972 I was promoted to Area Superintendent and moved to Odessa, Texas.
I worked for another 5 years for Gulf Pipeline until August 1978 when I left and went to work for
Eagleton Engineering in Houston. I didn’t care for the consulting business and left after 1 year and
returned to Sulphur in 1979 and joined Cities Service PCD engineering group and worked there for
three years until they shut down. At this time, I was contacted by the Pipeline Technology Group a
subsidiary of Kaneb Energy called me and asked to go to work for them as the Hackberry Strategic
Petroleum Reserve Manager, I worked there for 4 years until 1987 and then transferred as Manager
to the Bryan Mound SPR site in Freeport, Texas and stayed there until 1991. By this time I had had
enough working with the Department of Energy and decided it was time to get back to the real world.
I obtained a real job as Pipeline Superintendent for Sinclair Pipeline in Wyoming, thinking all the
while I would leave the mosquito swarms behind in Texas. This was a big mistake, the Wyoming
misquotes are big enough to eat wolves whole. I left for Wyoming on January 2, 1991 the
temperature that day was 85 degrees in Freeport and flew to Casper, Wyoming to a 40 below zero
welcome, what a shock! Believe me Wyoming is a nice place to visit in the Summer but too darn cold
in the winter. I lived in Rawlins, Wyoming a very unfriendly place not really the end of the world, but
you could definitely see it from there. I stayed there for 3 frozen years and finally got an opportunity
to move to Midland in 1993 (it took me 2 years to thaw out). This job was with Enron Oil Trading and
Transportation (EOTT) as Pipeline Manager and later as Engineering Project Manager. Our 1st
granddaughter, Erin, was born in Casper about 8 days prior to us transferring to Midland. Our second
grandchild, Austin was born in 1996, and the third, Haley in 2002. During this time, Enron had its
catastrophic collapse in 2000, dragging EOTT with them. The company (EOTT) managed to barely
struggle along until Plans All American bought them in 2004. I was asked to stay on due to the
shortage of experienced engineers. The Enron collapse also made it necessary I continue working
since their demise erased my 401K.
Midland, Texas is a great place to live if you can get accustomed to the sand storms and terrible
water but the Winters are very short. It better be, as it looks like I might have to stay here a while
since all 3 of our grand children live out here and they need our attention.
During this time I found the art and fun of segmented woodturning. Since there are about 300+ days
a year sunshine, there is plenty of daylight to make segmented bowls, vases and platters. Being a
member of the American Association of Woodturners I have demonstrated various parts of the Art in
Lubbock, San Angelo, Crossville, Tennessee and Wichita Falls, Texas. I have been a demonstrator at
the South West Area Turners meet 4 times. This is the second largest symposium held in the United
States. The AAW nation meet is the largest with over a 1000+ attending. Last year we had 580
(SWAT) woodturners and their wives attend.
If I decide to retire sometime in 2010 or later at least I will have a hobby I can have fun with.
James "Jim" Patterson Davis of Midland, Texas, passed away Tuesday, January 5th. A memorial
service was held today, 8th, 2010 in Midland, Texas.
James was born May 12, 1939, to Oliver Wendell Davis and Nellie Frances Yates Davis in
Oklahoma. The family moved to Sulphur, Louisiana, where James was raised and educated. After
high school graduation, he attended Louisiana State University and earned his engineering
degree. In June of 1961, James married Janelle Vines in Westlake, Louisiana. A professional
engineer in two states, Texas and Louisiana, his career began in the petroleum industry as a
pipeline engineer. He currently was employed with Plains Pipeline.
James loved woodturning and creating different masterpieces. Every piece of wood he touched
turned into a work of art. His memberships included the Comanche Trail Woodturners and South
West Association of Turners. He enjoyed being outdoors and being with his family. His
grandchildren meant the world to him.
James was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, and will be greatly missed
by all.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
James is survived by his wife of 48 years, Janelle Davis of Midland, Texas; son and
daughter-in-law, James and Brandi Davis of Lake Jackson, Texas; daughter, Julie Horne of
Midland, Texas; grandchildren, Erin Horne, Austin Horne, and Haley Horne, all of Midland, Texas,
and Bayly Davis of Lake Jackson, Texas; and brothers, Dr. Larry Davis and his wife, Joan, and
Rob Davis, all of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews.
service was held today, 8th, 2010 in Midland, Texas.
James was born May 12, 1939, to Oliver Wendell Davis and Nellie Frances Yates Davis in
Oklahoma. The family moved to Sulphur, Louisiana, where James was raised and educated. After
high school graduation, he attended Louisiana State University and earned his engineering
degree. In June of 1961, James married Janelle Vines in Westlake, Louisiana. A professional
engineer in two states, Texas and Louisiana, his career began in the petroleum industry as a
pipeline engineer. He currently was employed with Plains Pipeline.
James loved woodturning and creating different masterpieces. Every piece of wood he touched
turned into a work of art. His memberships included the Comanche Trail Woodturners and South
West Association of Turners. He enjoyed being outdoors and being with his family. His
grandchildren meant the world to him.
James was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, and will be greatly missed
by all.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
James is survived by his wife of 48 years, Janelle Davis of Midland, Texas; son and
daughter-in-law, James and Brandi Davis of Lake Jackson, Texas; daughter, Julie Horne of
Midland, Texas; grandchildren, Erin Horne, Austin Horne, and Haley Horne, all of Midland, Texas,
and Bayly Davis of Lake Jackson, Texas; and brothers, Dr. Larry Davis and his wife, Joan, and
Rob Davis, all of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews.