James Lee "Jimmy" Barnhouse, 89, of Fredericksburg, Texas, passed away in Fredericksburg on Saturday, August 4, 2018 at a local nursing home.  He was born on March 4, 1929 to Telford and Marie Thatcher- Barnhouse of Houston.  He married Carol Flanders of Edinburg, Texas on June 7, 1951 in Houston and they have two daughters, Kathy and Susan, and one son, John Thomas (deceased).  James served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956 after graduating from the U.S Navy School of Engineering and is a Korean war veteran.  During his service he achieved the rank of Lieutenant J.G and was appointed executive officer of the USS Tombigbee, a gasoline tanker servicing the Pacific fleet.  Other assignments were engineering officer, navigator, and public information officer of the Eighth Naval District.  For a period of time he became the commanding officer of the Tombigbee due to the fact that, in his words, "he was one of the few officers that did not get seasick".  While stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, James' wife Carol gave birth to twin daughters, Katherine Jane and Susan Marie.  After leaving the Navy, he moved with his family to Lake Charles, LA., where he worked for an oil field service company.  Shortly after that he accepted a management position with South American Petrolite Corporation in Maracaibo, Venezuela and moved there with the family in 1959.  In 1963, while in Venezuela, James, Carol and the twins welcomed a son, John Thomas, to the family. Upon moving back to Texas in 1969, James entered several business ventures in Houston and Victoria including hotel and apartment ownership, land development, selling cars, drilling for oil and starting his own business.  His company, Fisher-Stevens, Inc., developed and produced "soap sticks" used in the drilling industry to increase the fluidity of liquids in geologic formations.  He and his partner ran a successful business in Victoria, Texas, selling and distributing the "soap" sticks to clients in the oil and gas drilling industry.  Much of the family's time was consumed with seeking the best possible medical treatment for "Johnny" who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at an early age and lived until the age of 12.  That required the family to move from Victoria to Pearland and back when necessary.  James was an animal lover and had many dogs throughout his life including German shepherds, beagles, and others.

James was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  He and his wife Carol participated in the Fredericksburg Independence Day parade by pulling a float for the American Legion for many years.  He was also an elected official of the Hill Country Underground Water District and a member of the Fredericksburg United Methodist Church.

James was preceded in death by his parents Telford and Marie, his brother Thomas Barnhouse, and his son John Barnhouse.  He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Carol, their two daughters, Kathy Rios and her husband Javier Rios of Fredericksburg and Susan Sutherland and her husband Michael Sutherland of San Antonio.  He is also survived by grandchildren Cody Rios of Round Rock, Gabe Rios of San Antonio, and James Goss of San Antonio.

The family will greet friends 6:30-8:30 p.m., Friday, August 10 ^th , in Fredericksburg Funeral Home, as well as 9-10 a.m., Saturday, August 11 ^th , in Fredericksburg United Methodist Church.

Funeral services will begin 10 a.m., Saturday, August 11 ^th , in Fredericksburg United Methodist Church. Graveside services with military honors will follow in Greenwood Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hill Country SPCA, Congregational Care Ministry of FUMC, or the charity of one's choice.