James Walter Stearman Jr.

James W. Stearman, Jr., passed away at the age of 52. He was born in Austin, Texas, and lived there most of his life, until the year 2000, when he met and married Tammy Burba. The two of them moved to Smithville, Texas, and James became stepfather to Tammy’s son, Jayton. James and Tammy also had two children together: Jaycee and Brodie Stearman.

James took fatherhood seriously, and believed his most important duty was to provide for his family and to offer them a firm foundation in faith, so that they might know the blessings of following Jesus Christ. In fulfilling this most important duty, James showed himself tireless, constant, and caring. He endured many difficulties without complaint and was strong in character. He valued commitment and integrity and strove to be a good father. He was faithful to his wife and prioritized his children, making countless sacrifices without expectation of reward. He was unselfish.

James’s work ethic brought him success as an engineering technician: Over the years he accepted increasing responsibilities and earned multiple certifications, eventually coordinating and managing his company’s projects. He was intelligent, dependable, and knowledgeable. His coworkers knew that he could be counted on to do what was necessary to get the job done. He was good-natured, approachable, and demonstrated an abundance of good will. These qualities brought him many friends in life.

James was also very creative. From earliest childhood, he was curious to know how things worked and how buildings were constructed. He had an appreciation for unique and beautiful architecture. His taste in music, drama, and art was eclectic. He liked science fiction stories—-especially when the themes or plots challenged traditional concepts of reality. The Matrix and Dark City were two of his favorites. He enjoyed the British comedies, too, such as Fawlty Towers and the Monty Python movies with John Cleese. In fine art, he liked both realistic and abstract paintings. He was impressed by the photorealism and fantastical paintings of Donald Roller Wilson. He was particularly fascinated by the detailed, mathematically precise works of M. C. Escher. James himself was gifted with the ability to render figures and buildings realistically—-and, as in many areas of his life, he was modest about his gift.

Finally, James had a heart of gold. He was sensitive and spiritually-minded, with an lasting faith in Jesus Christ. He was generous, caring, and protective of his family. He was a good friend, a loving father, a treasured son. Although our hearts praise God for his life, and we are glad he is with his Savior, on this earth we will miss his heart of gold always.