James (Jim) F. Courtney, Jr.  1944-2024

James (Jim) F. Courtney, Jr. died at age 79 on July 25, 2024 after a long illness. Jim was a loving and devoted son, father, brother, and uncle.

Jim grew up in Quitman. He excelled in high school, was president of his class and represented Quitman High at Texas Boys’ State. Jim received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, receiving his PhD in management science in 1974.

His career spanned decades. Jim was the Humana Foundation/McCallister Eminent Scholar Chair in computer information systems in the College of Business at Louisiana Tech University. He was also the Tenneco Professor of Business Administration at Texas A&M University. In addition, he held faculty positions at Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, University of Central Florida and in Christchurch, New Zealand. Jim was an expert in knowledge management and decision support systems, ethical decision making, knowledge management, inquiring (learning) organizations and sustainable economic systems. The textbook he co-authored with his dear friends John Haynes and David Paradice, “Inquiring Organizations: Moving from Knowledge Management to Wisdom” is still in publication. (In fact, you can get your copy on Amazon.) He also published nearly 50 articles in refereed journals. Jim loved teaching and was dedicated to his many graduate students.

If Jim was not with his students, he could often be found at one of his favorite places, his cabin in the Sangre de Christo Mountains of New Mexico. His son, Jason, often joined him there. They shared a love of fly fishing, duck hunting, back packing and hiking. And, briefly, there was the beach house on Galveston Island. Shortly after ownership a hurricane swept away the beach but not the house so the state claimed the easement as the shoreline “rolled” inland thus making the house uninhabitable. His beach house had to be moved inland and was no longer an ocean front house. If anyone is interested in a beach house not on the beach give us a call.

Jim’s life was a life marked by humor, love and unwavering independence. He will be dearly missed.

Jim is preceded in death by his mother and father, Elizabeth and James Sr., from whom he inherited his lifelong commitment to the Democratic Party. He is survived by his son, Jason Forrest Courtney; his sisters, Carol Martin and Shirley Bennion; and nieces, Beth Steeley and Courtney Twigg (Michael). He is also survived by great nieces and nephews, Carolina (Ben) and Dylan and Everleigh; Christian (Jannel); Meghan (Austin); Finn; and Aidan, Lily and Eloise; and last but not certainly least, his dog Joy.

The family wishes to send our heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Welker for her enduring friendship, support, care and dedication to Jim.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Jim’s name to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (tpwf.org) or the CisnerosFoundation.org.

Graveside service was held at 10 a.m. on July 31, 2024 at the Quitman City Cemetery.