James "Jim" Dale Connolly

James Dale Connolly, affectionately known as Mr. Jim, to the myriad of children he introduced to Jesus Christ over the years, was called home to heaven Saturday, December 5, 2020, at the age of 74.

Jim was born August 10, 1946, in Dallas, Texas, to John and Katherine Connolly.  Jim was the third born of five siblings.  He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas, in 1964. He continued his education at the University of North Texas.  Jim was married to his high school sweetheart, Tina Tei, on September 3, 1966, and they resided in Denton.

Jim and Tina moved to Plano in 1968 and opened Jim’s Pizza Restaurant in McKinney, Texas, in 1969.  It became a local eatery icon and Jim received the honor of the Outstanding Small Business of the Year Award in 2010.  Jim faithfully ran the business for over fifty years before turning it over to his son, Scott, in January, 2020.  Each customer and employee was special to Jim.

Although Jim loved making pizza, his true love was teaching the Bible to children and helping them grasp the wonderful gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.  Jim began teaching Sunday School to children in 1982 and remained devotedly and continuously engaged in teaching throughout the rest of his life.    Jim was a leader in the ministries of Child Evangelism Fellowship Dallas where he served as Director and was on the board until his death.  He faithfully taught AWANA at his church.  Good News Bible Clubs, afterschool clubs in public schools, were also his passion.  He led 7 teams each year in the elementary schools in East Plano.  Jim was a passionate and visionary force in the children’s ministry of Meadows Baptist Church.  Jim was ordained as a deacon in 2013 and served the LORD and his church faithfully.

Jim is preceded in death by his mother and father, John and Katherine Connolly and his brother Johnny Connolly.

He is survived by his wife Tina Connolly, daughter Sherry McPherson and husband William, son Scott Connolly and wife Tonia, grandchildren Lindsey Smitham and husband Wilson, Zach McPherson, Luke McPherson, Kelsey McPherson, Zane Connolly and Kepler Connolly; sister Betty Willis and husband Jerry, brother Mike Connolly and wife Jan, sister Kathy Vance and husband Charles and many nieces and nephews.

The Celebration of Life service will be held at Meadows Baptist Church, 3001 Los Rios Boulevard, Plano, Texas, Thursday, December 10 ^th , at 11:00 am.  The service will be streamed live and can be accessed online at www.meadowsbaptist.org .  Click on the button for live stream memorial service for Jim Connolly.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation, in memory of Jim Connolly, to Child Evangelism Fellowship Dallas at www.cefdallas.org .

Interment will follow at Bethlehem Cemetery in Whitney, Texas.