My brother Jim’s high school class is having their 50th anniversary this Saturday and I was contacted to supply Jim’s obituary for a table honoring deceased classmates. I couldn’t find it; so I reconstructed it from memory. Here it is along with some pictures of Jim.
James Louis Leatherwood was born on December 9, 1946 and died October 27, 1995. He graduated from Bonham High School in 1964, attended Michigan State University for one year, then moved to California where he studied at San Francisco State University. In 1968, after a stint as a cook in Haight-Ashbury, Jim joined the Norwegian Merchant Marine and traveled all over the world. Upon his return, he moved to Texas where he finished his Bachelor’s degree at East Texas State University with a degree in chemistry.
Jim graduated from Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth in 1976. He moved to Florida for his internship in Family Medicine and remained there until joining the Navy as a medical officer. He served in the Navy at both Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, finally being honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Jim made his home in Los Angeles, CA where he set up a private practice in West Hollywood, first as a family physician and later as a successful laser surgeon.
Jim was an adventurer. He had a love of the ocean, particularly the Pacific. He owned a series of ocean-going sailboats, which he sailed as far as Hawaii. Also, he learned to fly small aircraft and earned his pilot’s license. He owned his own airplane, routinely flying cross-country to Texas from LA.
Jim was active in the West Hollywood area and with his church, St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal church in Hollywood. He died from AIDS in 1995. He was surrounded with family and friends at the time of his death and is fondly remembered by all those who loved him.
20 Minutes a Day 
I am so sorry for your loss, He lived such a full life, so sorry it was cut short.
Yes, his life was cut short. Very sad indeed. Thanks for your comment.
It sounds like he made a wonderful life for himself. I am sure your miss him terribly.
I do, Linda. It’s the truth.
Great eulogy for Jim…I met him once in Bonham back in the 70’s at the big house on 9th st. I believe….didn’t know that much about his background but now I think we had some things in common, like flying…I soloed a single engine aircraft in 1970…good job Len!….
Thank, Kenny. Yes, I suspect you and Jim would have liked each other. He loved to fly and he loved the Pacific.
Jim was one of my best friends in medical school at TCOM. But like medical students tend to be, we seem to spend all our time on the job; medicine is so intense, we can barely keep track of our lives, and easily loose track of our friends. I also trained and spent time in the military (pediatric infectious diseases), and 20 years later, retired from the Army Medical Corps, and have worked at a Children’s hospital in Temple, Texas for the last 17 years. I only knew Jim for those 4 years, but we spent many hours between classes and on clinical rotations visiting and discussing medicine and life. I knew he had a good and kind heart, and I regret deeply that I can never tell him. My wife knew Jim as well, and we are both sad at his loss.
I realize that this reply is several months late. I apologize for the delay. I thought I had responded. Thank you for your kind words regarding my brother, Jim. It means a lot to hear fond memories of my brother. Much thanks and Merry Christmas!
Len,
Jim was one of my best friends in high school. Both our families were long time residents of Bonham. We shared many of the same interests during that period. I had lost touch with Jim and only learned of his death some time after the fact.
I am very sorry for your’s and your sibling’s loss of both Jim and John.
Also, I believe Jim was born in 1945 not 1946 as he would have been in the class of 1965.
Regards,
Martin
Thank you for responding, Martin. You are probably right about that birthdate. Thanks for that clarification. Yes, I miss my brothers. I appreciate your kind words. Len
It is hard to beleive so much time has passed since your death. I will always have great memories of you working out at The West Hollywood Athletic Club. You were a kind man that made a positive impact on all that knew you. Think of you often. So happy to have found this memory of you on the internet. Miss you always .