James Ronald Horton

James Ronald Horton (Jim) of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Chattanooga, Tennessee passed away on June 7th, 2026 at the age of 82. He was born on August 30th, 1943 in Austin, Texas and then grew up in University Park, Maryland. He graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics and a Master’s degree in International Relations from The University of Maryland. He later earned a Law Degree from The University of Baltimore Law School. It was at the University of Maryland where he met Elizabeth “Betty Jo” Mullen, his best friend and wife of 60 years. They married September 4th, 1965.

Jim worked in the federal government for several years for the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor, and the Bureau of Mines. He moved with his family to Chattanooga in 1980 and worked as a private attorney. He changed careers again, finding his true passion as the owner of Chattanooga Depot Hobby Shop, a store dedicated to serious model railroaders. Hardcore model railroad builders would come from across the Eastern United States and Canada and would drive hours out of their way to buy supplies from him and ask questions that Jim could (almost) always answer.

Jim and Betty Jo’s retirement coincided with the birth of their grandson - and Jim’s namesake- James Horton Douglas, and in 2016 they relocated to Brentwood to be closer to James and his parents, Carolyn and Brant.

He loved his Grandson, Daughter, and son-in-law more than he loved his full room HO-scale train layout. He redesigned and expanded his layout in his Brentwood home. In turn he made close friends in a Brentwood-area train club, and these model engineers still meet each Monday to play with trains, dine at Culvers, and trade tall tales.

Jim helped many of his friends design and build model train layouts through his work as a founding member of the Chattanooga Area Model Railroad Club and later as President of the Cumberland Division of the Southeast Region, National Model Railroad Association. Jim won multiple awards for his original model designs.

Jim and Betty Jo also spent many hours gardening and transforming their wooded rock garden into what would later become the location for their daughter’s wedding.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Virginia Collins Custard; stepfather Robert Custard; father Burke Horton; and brothers Alan and Charles Horton.

He is survived by his wife Betty Jo, daughter Carolyn Horton Douglas, son-in-law Brant Douglas, and grandson James Horton Douglas, all of Brentwood, Tennessee.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for August 30th on Jim and Betty Jo’s shared birthday.

OPTIONAL: In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jim’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Hospital www.stjude.org , Ronald McDonald House Nashville www.mylocalrmhc.org/rmhcnashville , Tunnel to Towers Foundation www.t2t.org , or Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org ,