James Edward Cryer

In Loving Memory of James Edward Cryer
Jim, Daddy, Grampi, Friend

Jim was born to Myra and Denver Cryer on September 5, 1931 in Port Arthur, Texas. His sister Ima Gene was already 17 months old. Times were tough in those days and his family moved around quite a bit to find work. In 1938 his mom and dad built their first house in Merryville, Louisiana. The memory of that first Christmas in their new house was still vivid in his mind in later years because his sister got the doll she wished for and he got a train set. Jim's family moved a few more times and ended up in Frierson for a time, where he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving four years during the Korean war. He received a Good Conduct Medal for honorable and faithful service and the National Defense Service Medal. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and was stationed in Fort Slocum, NY, spending some time in Alaska as well. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

He went on to obtain a degree in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana Tech and took a job at Gulf States Utilities where he met the love of his life, Gayle Comerford. They wed on June 19, 1959 in Beaumont, Texas at St. Ann's Catholic Church and had two children, Mary and John. They moved several times, but spent the majority of their years in Baton Rouge.

Jim was a family man - always involved in his children's lives, attending every ballet recital for Mary and taking a leadership role in Boy Scouts with John. He was a faithful husband, married for 54 years, and honored his own parents, his sister, and extended family.

Jim was creative and a talented carpenter who could fix anything. He loved God and country and had a no nonsense approach to life with unwavering values. He went above and beyond for anyone who needed him, often seeing the need before anyone asked him for help. He loved to serve and when he and Gayle moved to McKinney in 2006, they both joined Citizens on Patrol, the McKinney volunteer police association.

What most people will remember about Jim is that he was always in charge. A leader in all that he did, he knew what to do and how to do it and we could always count on him.

A funeral service will be held on August 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM at Prestonwood Baptist Church, 6801 W. Park Blvd, Plano, Texas 75093 a burial at DFW National Cemetery will follow at 1:30 PM.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13