Jim Rountree leaves behind a legacy of service and dedication that few others can match.
The Anna resident died July 29 after a long battle with an extended illness. He leaves behind his wife, Susan, and a large group of children, grandchildren, family and friends.
Locally he may be best remembered for founding the Anna Scholarship Foundation, being active with the Meals on Wheels program, and volunteering for countless responsibilities at Holy Family Catholic Church in Van Alstyne.
One of those who knew Rountree best was Mike Kennedy. The two go back 60 years when Rountree married his first wife, Kennedy’s sister Pat.
Over the years, Rountree and Kennedy became the best of friends.
“Jim’s primary passion in life was helping people at any level,” Kennedy recalled. “He was dedicated to Meals on Wheels, and he wouldn’t just take food to people. He would get to know them and see what they needed.”
Once, Rountree saw that a porch on a home needed to be fixed. He later returned, tools in hand, to complete the job himself.
It was a trait that Kennedy saw time and time again. When others would politely ask how they could help, Rountree would simply roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Before retiring to his Anna dream home in 1999, Jim and Pat Rountree lived in the Richardson area for 39 years. He was a successful salesman for Texas Instruments before moving on to work for a competitor.
One of the reasons he moved north was so that he could be closer to his favorite golf course, Hurricane Creek.
Golf may have been his recreational passion, but bowling is where he was truly dangerous. For a time, Jim Rountree carried an over 200 average in league play and rolled multiple 300 games.
“I never bowled with him because I didn’t want to be embarrassed,” Kennedy recalled.
It often seemed that Rountree could do anything with his hands. He purchased a classic 1964 ½ Mustang convertible. It was in terrible shape, but he managed to meticulously restore the vehicle. He relished driving the car in parades and taking it to car shows.
His handyman skills would also benefit students at Anna High School. He built elaborate dollhouses and auctioned them off to raise money for the scholarship foundation.
Rountree inherited his passion for education from his mother. She raised him and his siblings to value it at all costs. He credited her for getting him through school and eventually into Texas A&M University.
“He would always get super emotional talking about how his mom raised him and how it was super important for her to push her kids through school,” current Anna Scholarship Foundation President Dr. Jeffrey Ludlow said. “He just wanted the kids in Anna to get some of that, too.”
Rountree was actively involved in Anna ISD’s mentorship program. He also brought his sales skills out of retirement to solicit donations for the foundation from area businesses.
That’s how Ludlow met Rountree 15 years ago: Rountree convinced him to make a donation.
Over the ensuing years, Ludlow marveled at how dedicated Rountree was to his cause. From knocking on doors to following up with students about their scholarship paperwork, he was involved in all aspects of the foundation.
“Usually people get a great idea like that and start it. Then, after two years or so, it will putter out because they lose the desire and motivation, or the headaches get too hard,” Ludlow said. “This man just kept going and going, and I think that just showed how much he believed in what he was trying to do.”
Rountree was also active in the Catholic church throughout his life.
When he moved to Anna, he became active at Holy Family. He served as the church’s first pastoral council director, helped set up the alter, worked as a lector and was involved in the Knights of Columbus.
Current Pastoral Council Director Gary Yesavage said, “I think his friendliness and hospitality radiated through the rest of the congregation.”
Yesavage said if something needed to be done, Rountree was always in the middle of it.
Pat Rountree died of Alzheimer’s disease disease in 2012. A few years later, Susan Nealon came into Jim Rountree’s life. Kennedy said it was an absolute blessing. When the couple married in 2015, he stood up as Rountree’s best man.
“Jim was an absolutely dedicated husband to Susan, just as he was to my sister,” Kennedy said. “He was the most remarkable human being that I have ever known.”
Photo: Newsbreak . com
Joshua Baethge . Anna Melissa Tribune
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