James Monroe Southerland

James “Jim” Southerland passed away October 17, 2020. He was born September 24, 1928, to Lucy Presley Southerland and James Southerland Sr. at home in Mt. Pleasant, TX, on a farm with a doctor present.

Jim graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He learned to fly F-51s but was assigned to the communications office in the White House and delivered messages to various offices and so did not do much flying. While working there, he took several college courses from both American University and Georgetown University. After his enlistment was up, he left the Air Force but remained in the Reserves.

He enrolled in Trinity University in San Antonio to continue his education but landed a part-time job with the Waco Tribune Herald and transferred to Baylor University. Shortly after completing his courses there, the Korean War erupted, and Jim was recalled to his old job and got a chance to fly F-86s in Korea. Before departing for Korea, he became part of the new intelligence service created by President Truman. Jim remained in Korea through the end of the war and helped debrief returning U.S. pilots who had become POWs after being shot down in North Korea.

Upon his return to the States, Jim resigned from the Air Force and went to work for United Press in Dallas as a photographer and soon became manager of the Austin office which handled the photography for the Austin American-Statesman. During this assignment, United Press became United Press International (UPI) after acquiring International News Service.

While in Austin, Jim covered the Kennedy assassination and then became responsible for coverage of President Johnson’s visits to Texas. Jim and his team won awards for their coverage of the Whitman mass killing from the University of Texas tower.

Jim was introduced to Janelle Slaughter by a cousin and mutual friend. Within a few weeks, they were spending as much time together as possible and were married on November 26, 1965 in the University Presbyterian Church. They were great partners and lovers for just over 50 years.

After a short transfer to Cleveland, they moved to Washington, DC, where Jim became editor for UPI, retiring in 1979. During their time in Washington, they were members of the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church where Jim served as an elder.

After retirement, they moved to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, a favorite vacation spot. They purchased a candy and tobacco store and sold it after doubling its size. During that time, Jim served two terms as president of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce. He then joined the board of directors of a large industrial gas company where he served until 2001. He also worked as a consultant, drafting and analyzing proposed legislation for several committees of the Virgin Islands legislature.

In 1992 Jim was invited to Russia to help with its conversion from a state run economy to a market economy. He traveled to many areas of the country and gave instruction on how to form political parties and conduct elections and found that to be very rewarding work.

Jim was also instrumental in the restoration of the Reformed Church in America in St. Croix. The original Reformed Church (established in 1742) closed in 1820 when the Dutch left the island. It is now a healthy church serving St. Croix.

Jim and Janelle moved to Georgetown, TX, in March 2001. Jim began work at Sears as a mediator and retired again in 2010. He was a member of the Georgetown First Presbyterian Church and served as a Stephen Minister.

Jim was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Janelle “Jenny,” on March 17, 2016. He is survived by niece Cynthia Parker Dyess (Bill) of Georgetown, TX; niece Lori Southerland Nagel (Mike) of Louisville, KY; nephew Carson Parker (Hazel) of Pinehurst, TX; niece Holly Lynn Southerland of Bossier City, LA; nephew James Dyess (Martha) of Austin, TX; niece Marilyn Gallia (Mike) of Katy, TX; nephew Bill Dyess, Jr.(Lori) of Round Rock, TX; niece Millie Ford (Spencer) of Taylor, TX; nephew John Parker of Pinehurst, TX; and nephew Tom Walter (Sharon) of Magnolia, TX.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church, 703 South Church Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626.