Senior District Judge James E "Jim" Barlow, eighty-one years of age, passed away on May 18, 2010, at his residence.
Born in Winters, he later moved to Crockett where he attended both elementary and middle school. Shortly after the death of his father, he and his mother journeyed to San Antonio during the early years of World War II, where she began work in civil service.
He was a member of a pioneer East Texas family. Three of his great uncles (all brothers), fought for Texas' independence---one in the first battle of Bexar in 1835, another who fell with Fannin in Goliad, and another who was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto.
In San Antonio, Jim attended Brackenridge High School where he graduated in 1945. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University in 1951 and his law degree from Saint Mary's University in 1953. While at Trinity, he attended several business classes with fellow student Virginia "Ginger" Hall. He eventually decided that dating might be more interesting than just working on accounting sheets together and they married on December 21, 1951.
He served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1948. He was stationed as a guard at the Manhattan Engineers Atomic Bomb project in Los Alamos, New Mexico and was assigned later to A.E.C.
After law school Jim practiced law first in the firm of Adrian Spears and then as a sole practitioner. He served as an assistant district attorney for three years before his election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960 where he worked diligently for one term. Continuing his interest in public service, Jim ran for and was elected to the office of Criminal District Attorney in 1963. His year long campaign had resulted first in the defeat of two Democratic opponents, and then a Republican in the general election. He was re-elected to this position without opposition for a second term.
In 1969, Governor Preston Smith appointed Jim as a Criminal District Judge to the newly created 186th District Court. He was re-elected without opposition five times to this position, retiring from the bench in 1990. However, he did not feel that his working days were over yet and continued in "retirement" as a Senior District Judge for eighteen more years, finally giving up the work he had loved, due to health problems. These last years he had held court in about thirteen of the thirty Texas counties in his assigned district.
Jim and Virginia were charter members of Saint Mark's United Methodist Church where in early years he served as a church lay leader, taught Sunday School, and been active in Methodist Men. He served for a number of years as a representative on the Community of Churches Board and had much earlier been part of the Wesley Learning Center Board.
Serving as an adjunct professor, Jim taught at Saint Mary's Law School for over twenty years. One of his greatest pleasures was his role as a football official in the Southwest Football Officials' Association, San Antonio Chapter.
After keeping records of cases he had been involved in over decades, he authored a book, Tales of the Southwest Courtroom, which was written for both attorneys and lay people in mind. Jim had always been an avid reader and devoured books on countless subjects. He believed strongly in the value of the Public Library and made use of it regularly. He and Virginia were supporters of the McNay Art Institute, the Trinity University Drama Department, and the Lyric Opera Company of San Antonio. They enjoyed dancing and their participation in the Lamplighters over several years. Their lives were enriched also by numerous travels through the years to foreign countries and much of the United States.
In recent years Jim enjoyed his appointment to the Bexar County Historical Commission and this new dimension to his life. And finally, he found great pleasure in the monthly Saturday morning breakfast group he had organized—made up of retired and almost retired attorneys, judges, and court support staff.
This man of many talents and interests underwent surgery in 2007 for breast cancer. Again in late 2009 he survived a procedure involving a stent in the small intestine, necessary because of the invasion of a tumor in that organ. Additional cancers in other major organs essentially caused his passing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Lee and Bunnie Barlow ; and a daughter, Valerie Jean Barlow.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Virginia Hall Barlow; his daughters, Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Barlow Dorsey and Melissa Barlow Fischer (Richard); his sister, Jean Graham; sister-in-law, Margarette (Russ) Wood; and four grandchildren, Devin and Brenna Dorsey and Josephine and Julia Fischer.
Born in Winters, he later moved to Crockett where he attended both elementary and middle school. Shortly after the death of his father, he and his mother journeyed to San Antonio during the early years of World War II, where she began work in civil service.
He was a member of a pioneer East Texas family. Three of his great uncles (all brothers), fought for Texas' independence---one in the first battle of Bexar in 1835, another who fell with Fannin in Goliad, and another who was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto.
In San Antonio, Jim attended Brackenridge High School where he graduated in 1945. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University in 1951 and his law degree from Saint Mary's University in 1953. While at Trinity, he attended several business classes with fellow student Virginia "Ginger" Hall. He eventually decided that dating might be more interesting than just working on accounting sheets together and they married on December 21, 1951.
He served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1948. He was stationed as a guard at the Manhattan Engineers Atomic Bomb project in Los Alamos, New Mexico and was assigned later to A.E.C.
After law school Jim practiced law first in the firm of Adrian Spears and then as a sole practitioner. He served as an assistant district attorney for three years before his election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960 where he worked diligently for one term. Continuing his interest in public service, Jim ran for and was elected to the office of Criminal District Attorney in 1963. His year long campaign had resulted first in the defeat of two Democratic opponents, and then a Republican in the general election. He was re-elected to this position without opposition for a second term.
In 1969, Governor Preston Smith appointed Jim as a Criminal District Judge to the newly created 186th District Court. He was re-elected without opposition five times to this position, retiring from the bench in 1990. However, he did not feel that his working days were over yet and continued in "retirement" as a Senior District Judge for eighteen more years, finally giving up the work he had loved, due to health problems. These last years he had held court in about thirteen of the thirty Texas counties in his assigned district.
Jim and Virginia were charter members of Saint Mark's United Methodist Church where in early years he served as a church lay leader, taught Sunday School, and been active in Methodist Men. He served for a number of years as a representative on the Community of Churches Board and had much earlier been part of the Wesley Learning Center Board.
Serving as an adjunct professor, Jim taught at Saint Mary's Law School for over twenty years. One of his greatest pleasures was his role as a football official in the Southwest Football Officials' Association, San Antonio Chapter.
After keeping records of cases he had been involved in over decades, he authored a book, Tales of the Southwest Courtroom, which was written for both attorneys and lay people in mind. Jim had always been an avid reader and devoured books on countless subjects. He believed strongly in the value of the Public Library and made use of it regularly. He and Virginia were supporters of the McNay Art Institute, the Trinity University Drama Department, and the Lyric Opera Company of San Antonio. They enjoyed dancing and their participation in the Lamplighters over several years. Their lives were enriched also by numerous travels through the years to foreign countries and much of the United States.
In recent years Jim enjoyed his appointment to the Bexar County Historical Commission and this new dimension to his life. And finally, he found great pleasure in the monthly Saturday morning breakfast group he had organized—made up of retired and almost retired attorneys, judges, and court support staff.
This man of many talents and interests underwent surgery in 2007 for breast cancer. Again in late 2009 he survived a procedure involving a stent in the small intestine, necessary because of the invasion of a tumor in that organ. Additional cancers in other major organs essentially caused his passing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Lee and Bunnie Barlow ; and a daughter, Valerie Jean Barlow.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Virginia Hall Barlow; his daughters, Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Barlow Dorsey and Melissa Barlow Fischer (Richard); his sister, Jean Graham; sister-in-law, Margarette (Russ) Wood; and four grandchildren, Devin and Brenna Dorsey and Josephine and Julia Fischer.
Senior District Judge James E "Jim" Barlow, eighty-one years of age, passed away on May 18, 2010, at his residence.
Born in Winters, he later moved to Crockett where he attended both elementary and middle school. Shortly after the death of his father, he and his mother journeyed to San Antonio during the early years of World War II, where she began work in civil service.
He was a member of a pioneer East Texas family. Three of his great uncles (all brothers), fought for Texas' independence---one in the first battle of Bexar in 1835, another who fell with Fannin in Goliad, and another who was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto.
In San Antonio, Jim attended Brackenridge High School where he graduated in 1945. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University in 1951 and his law degree from Saint Mary's University in 1953. While at Trinity, he attended several business classes with fellow student Virginia "Ginger" Hall. He eventually decided that dating might be more interesting than just working on accounting sheets together and they married on December 21, 1951.
He served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1948. He was stationed as a guard at the Manhattan Engineers Atomic Bomb project in Los Alamos, New Mexico and was assigned later to A.E.C.
After law school Jim practiced law first in the firm of Adrian Spears and then as a sole practitioner. He served as an assistant district attorney for three years before his election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960 where he worked diligently for one term. Continuing his interest in public service, Jim ran for and was elected to the office of Criminal District Attorney in 1963. His year long campaign had resulted first in the defeat of two Democratic opponents, and then a Republican in the general election. He was re-elected to this position without opposition for a second term.
In 1969, Governor Preston Smith appointed Jim as a Criminal District Judge to the newly created 186th District Court. He was re-elected without opposition five times to this position, retiring from the bench in 1990. However, he did not feel that his working days were over yet and continued in "retirement" as a Senior District Judge for eighteen more years, finally giving up the work he had loved, due to health problems. These last years he had held court in about thirteen of the thirty Texas counties in his assigned district.
Jim and Virginia were charter members of Saint Mark's United Methodist Church where in early years he served as a church lay leader, taught Sunday School, and been active in Methodist Men. He served for a number of years as a representative on the Community of Churches Board and had much earlier been part of the Wesley Learning Center Board.
Serving as an adjunct professor, Jim taught at Saint Mary's Law School for over twenty years. One of his greatest pleasures was his role as a football official in the Southwest Football Officials' Association, San Antonio Chapter.
After keeping records of cases he had been involved in over decades, he authored a book, Tales of the Southwest Courtroom, which was written for both attorneys and lay people in mind. Jim had always been an avid reader and devoured books on countless subjects. He believed strongly in the value of the Public Library and made use of it regularly. He and Virginia were supporters of the McNay Art Institute, the Trinity University Drama Department, and the Lyric Opera Company of San Antonio. They enjoyed dancing and their participation in the Lamplighters over several years. Their lives were enriched also by numerous travels through the years to foreign countries and much of the United States.
In recent years Jim enjoyed his appointment to the Bexar County Historical Commission and this new dimension to his life. And finally, he found great pleasure in the monthly Saturday morning breakfast group he had organized—made up of retired and almost retired attorneys, judges, and court support staff.
This man of many talents and interests underwent surgery in 2007 for breast cancer. Again in late 2009 he survived a procedure involving a stent in the small intestine, necessary because of the invasion of a tumor in that organ. Additional cancers in other major organs essentially caused his passing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Lee and Bunnie Barlow ; and a daughter, Valerie Jean Barlow.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Virginia Hall Barlow; his daughters, Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Barlow Dorsey and Melissa Barlow Fischer (Richard); his sister, Jean Graham; sister-in-law, Margarette (Russ) Wood; and four grandchildren, Devin and Brenna Dorsey and Josephine and Julia Fischer.
Born in Winters, he later moved to Crockett where he attended both elementary and middle school. Shortly after the death of his father, he and his mother journeyed to San Antonio during the early years of World War II, where she began work in civil service.
He was a member of a pioneer East Texas family. Three of his great uncles (all brothers), fought for Texas' independence---one in the first battle of Bexar in 1835, another who fell with Fannin in Goliad, and another who was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto.
In San Antonio, Jim attended Brackenridge High School where he graduated in 1945. He received a B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University in 1951 and his law degree from Saint Mary's University in 1953. While at Trinity, he attended several business classes with fellow student Virginia "Ginger" Hall. He eventually decided that dating might be more interesting than just working on accounting sheets together and they married on December 21, 1951.
He served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1948. He was stationed as a guard at the Manhattan Engineers Atomic Bomb project in Los Alamos, New Mexico and was assigned later to A.E.C.
After law school Jim practiced law first in the firm of Adrian Spears and then as a sole practitioner. He served as an assistant district attorney for three years before his election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1960 where he worked diligently for one term. Continuing his interest in public service, Jim ran for and was elected to the office of Criminal District Attorney in 1963. His year long campaign had resulted first in the defeat of two Democratic opponents, and then a Republican in the general election. He was re-elected to this position without opposition for a second term.
In 1969, Governor Preston Smith appointed Jim as a Criminal District Judge to the newly created 186th District Court. He was re-elected without opposition five times to this position, retiring from the bench in 1990. However, he did not feel that his working days were over yet and continued in "retirement" as a Senior District Judge for eighteen more years, finally giving up the work he had loved, due to health problems. These last years he had held court in about thirteen of the thirty Texas counties in his assigned district.
Jim and Virginia were charter members of Saint Mark's United Methodist Church where in early years he served as a church lay leader, taught Sunday School, and been active in Methodist Men. He served for a number of years as a representative on the Community of Churches Board and had much earlier been part of the Wesley Learning Center Board.
Serving as an adjunct professor, Jim taught at Saint Mary's Law School for over twenty years. One of his greatest pleasures was his role as a football official in the Southwest Football Officials' Association, San Antonio Chapter.
After keeping records of cases he had been involved in over decades, he authored a book, Tales of the Southwest Courtroom, which was written for both attorneys and lay people in mind. Jim had always been an avid reader and devoured books on countless subjects. He believed strongly in the value of the Public Library and made use of it regularly. He and Virginia were supporters of the McNay Art Institute, the Trinity University Drama Department, and the Lyric Opera Company of San Antonio. They enjoyed dancing and their participation in the Lamplighters over several years. Their lives were enriched also by numerous travels through the years to foreign countries and much of the United States.
In recent years Jim enjoyed his appointment to the Bexar County Historical Commission and this new dimension to his life. And finally, he found great pleasure in the monthly Saturday morning breakfast group he had organized—made up of retired and almost retired attorneys, judges, and court support staff.
This man of many talents and interests underwent surgery in 2007 for breast cancer. Again in late 2009 he survived a procedure involving a stent in the small intestine, necessary because of the invasion of a tumor in that organ. Additional cancers in other major organs essentially caused his passing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Lee and Bunnie Barlow ; and a daughter, Valerie Jean Barlow.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Virginia Hall Barlow; his daughters, Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Barlow Dorsey and Melissa Barlow Fischer (Richard); his sister, Jean Graham; sister-in-law, Margarette (Russ) Wood; and four grandchildren, Devin and Brenna Dorsey and Josephine and Julia Fischer.
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