James Edward Healer of Greenville, Texas passed away on March 19, 2022 at the age of 75. He was born on March 25, 1946 to Francis Edward “F.E.” and Mary Louise (Cook) Healer in Merkel, Texas. James grew up in Sweetwater, Texas where he graduated from Newman High School in 1964. He surrendered to the Gospel Ministry in 1965 and He was a 1971 graduate of North Texas State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Mr. Healer served as a band director in Forney, Malakoff, Waxahachie, Troup, Anson, Ingram, and Roscoe, Texas.
While teaching in several of these towns, he also served as a bi-vocational minister of music and youth at his church.
In 1979, James earned a Master of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Brother James served as full time minister of music and education at churches in Centerville, Ohio; Midland, Texas and Kerrville, Texas.
In 1996 he began a new career path at Accenture (formerly Anderson Consulting) as a corporate trainer and quality control analyst until his retirement in 2013.
James was a true artist. He enjoyed anything that allowed him to express his creativity: writing and arranging music, painting, woodworking, writing poems and novels, and thinking about creative solutions to problems. But his favorite activities revolved around his children and grandchildren, to whom he passed on many of those gifts.
He is survived by his wife, LynDella “Judy” Healer of Greenville, Texas; sons, James Donald Healer and wife, Monica of McKinney, Texas; Jason Dale Healer and wife, Debbie of Fort Worth, Texas; and Jared Dwayne Healer and wife, Dana of Aubrey, Texas; grandchildren, Kyle Eric Healer, Collin Blake Healer, Justin Keith Healer, Andrew Paul Healer, Jacob Gabriel Healer, Daniel James Healer, Caleb Levi Healer, Anna Elisabeth Healer, Audrey Nadine Healer, and Clayton James Healer; brother and sisters, Francis Marion “Frank” Healer and wife, Janice of Potosi, Texas, Janie Mae Davis and husband, Delbert of Sweetwater, Texas, Anita Louise Jones and husband, Dearl of Nolan, Texas; Rebecca Sue Healer of Richardson, Texas; and several nieces, nephews, and a host of other loving family and friends.
James was preceded in death by his parents and niece Hillary Shae Davis.
The family will receive friends during a visitation on Thursday, March 24, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 11:00am on Friday, March 25, at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas and a memorial service will be held at 1:00pm Friday, March 25, at First Baptist Church, McKinney, Texas.
The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the music ministry at Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas (https://www.highlandterrace.org/give) or to your local public school band booster club.