Roll Call Tribute

Restland Funeral Home obituary
13005 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75243
469.925.1436

James Sadler Tinsley
Birth Date: April 10, 1936Death Date: October 31, 2019

James (“Jim”) Sadler Tinsley was born on April 10, 1936 and went Home to the Lord on October 31, 2019, in Dallas, TX, at the age of 83. He is preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Rose Tinsley, his sister Betty Martin, and grand-daughter Anna Krug. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Catherine, of Garland, TX. He is also survived by his first wife of 35 years, Verba J. Tinsley, of Dallas, and their six daughters: Camille Krug of Plano, Kimberly Berry and husband John of West St. Paul, MN, Kristin Adair and husband Chuck of Dallas, Kelly Capps and husband Ted of Royce City, Candace Coleman and husband Brad of Rockwall, and Courtney Duffy and husband Mike of Southlake, and 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Jim is survived by his sister, Margaret Rotter of Canoga Park, CA, sister-in-law Charlotte White and husband Charlie of Dallas, three nieces, two nephews and two great nephews.

Jim was known as “Jimmy” to people who had known him the longest and “Jiji” to his grandkids. He graduated from North Dallas High School in 1953 and attended Texas A&M where he obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1957. He obtained a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at University of Colorado in 1961. Jim was in the TAMU Corps of Cadets which led to a 20-year career in the US Air Force. Lieutenant Colonel Tinsley and family were stationed all over the US, including Alabama, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin, until his retirement in Dallas.

Jim then worked for TUGCO, a division of TU Electric, as a plant manager and engineer, retiring after 14 years. This was followed by Merrill Lynch where he was a financial planner until he became ill with cancer. During remission, Jim embarked on a career in IT, working for Software Spectrum and Microsoft. In retirement, Jim worked for Lifeway Christian Bookstore.

Along with his careers, Jim was a dedicated volunteer for multiple organizations. Starting as a youth camp counselor, Jim volunteered for YMCA Camp Grady Spruce, later becoming a board member. Jim donated blood and platelets whenever called for Carter Blood Care, receiving an 8-Gallon award before his cancer returned. As a Gideons International volunteer, Jim supplied Bibles to school students and young men entering the military. For much of his life, Jim was an active servant in his church, Skillman Church of Christ in Dallas and Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall. An avid golfer, Jim volunteered as a Marshal for the Mesquite Golf Course. Jim was a class agent for his TAMU Class of ’57 for several years, where his efforts resulted in the largest group of former graduates to attend a 50th reunion. He was an active member and board member of the Rockwall County A&M Club.

When Jim’s Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma returned for the second time in 2003, he was blessed to receive bone marrow for a second transplant from a young donor in Germany as a part of the National Marrow Donor Program. The cancer never returned, but this experience led him to volunteer with the Cvetko Center at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. He visited many patients and became their advocate, up to when dementia made it difficult to continue.

Jim loved golf, fishing, learning computers, playing games, reading, traveling and visiting with family. His sense of humor, love of Hawaiian shirts, and inability to meet a stranger are just a few of the many things we will miss about him.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Rockwall County A&M Club.


SERVICE DETAILS

Visitation
November 4, 20196:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Restland Funeral Home
13005 Greenville Avenue Dallas TX, 75243

Funeral service
November 5, 20192:30 pm
The Memorial Chapel at Restland Funeral Home