James Cecil Elliott
James Cecil Elliott died at home on Saturday, May 9th with his family around him. We lost a wonderful husband, father, community leader and friend in Martindale Texas. Surviving him are his wife Linda; son Jason of Round Rock; daughter Jessica (husband, Toby) Nunn of Georgetown; daughter Jill (wife Michelle) of Austin; grandchildren Owen Orion Woods, Eli Olivia Woods, and Scarlett Taylor Nunn. His extended family includes: brother Gene (wife Karen) Elliott of Charlotte, South Carolina and cousin Tim (wife Mary Ellen) Cozard of Denver; cousins Bill, Brad and Michael Burton of New Mexico. Jim left us with plenty of stories to tell about barbeques, campfires and family adventures.
After receiving a B.A. from Southwest Texas State and M.A. from Texas Tech, Jim was an educator for over 44 years. From PE teacher to Physical Education Coordinator in Victoria, Texas to Jr. High Principal in various districts in Central Texas, he moved steadily up the career ladder until he became High School Principal. He retired after 30 years in administration but returned to teach special needs children for another 14 years with the last five years at Navarro Elementary in Lockhart.
When he finally hung up his grade books, Jim decided to get serious about his hobby in photography. He took classes in photo technique and related computer skills but what he really loved was traveling farm-to-market roads, the more isolated the better. His favorite haunts were Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and West Texas. Whenever someone asked where he took a particular picture he’d usually say “Oh, just by the side of the road!”
Jim called his photography ‘authentic’ because he did not believe in digitally enhancing any picture. If the cloud was not in a place for a grand backdrop, Jim waited until the wind moved the cloud. Perfect lighting meant getting up before dawn for just the right light or standing in the same spot until the sun dipped down past the last crest. He scouted out all the Longhorn being raised in the area and would sometimes have to carry noisemakers to encourage these beasts to look up from their feed for a portrait. He also had a favorite oak tree standing on a rise off of the highway to Three Rivers which he photographed in different seasons and at different times of the day for several years.
Jim’s civic involvement extended from serving on the Martindale City Council, volunteering at the New Braunfel’s Art League Gallery, and serving on the board of the Seguin Art League and its Building Renovations Committee. He served on the board of Evening with the Authors for the Lockhart Library for over nine years. He was an active member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Lockhart. A memorial service conducted by Father Tom Brun, will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal, 118 North Church Street, on July 11, at 9:30 a.m. in the garden.
To view and sign the guest book, visit www.post-register.com/james-cecil-elliott
Our RHS Class of 61 loved Jimmy Elliott. He was always a fun-loving, caring person! I’m sorry we just learned that he passed in May. Thank you, Sharon Gallup, for discovering this and sharing with fellow classmates. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Linda (Youse) Hood