Extracted from The Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX)
Sunday, September 16, 2012

James Edwin Eastwood (1922 - 2012)

James Edwin Eastwood went to meet his Lord and Savior on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012.

Burial: Jim will be interred at a later date with military honors in Houston National Cemetery.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any contributions be made in his memory to Vitascommunityconnection.org.

He was born Dec. 16, 1922, in Monroe, La., the son of Sidney Eastwood and Sybil Mercer Eastwood. Due to his mother's health, he was raised by Mr. and Mrs. George A. Mercer, an uncle and aunt, for all of his school years. While attending LSU, his studies were interrupted by service in World War II. He joined the Army in February 1943 and participated in the Normandy Invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944, landing at Utah Beach. He saw extensive combat in France and Germany and was eventually wounded in the Hurtgen Forest in Germany. He was awarded the combat infantry badge, European Theater of Operations ribbon with three battle stars, Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor among other medals in the European theater. He returned to LSU after the war and graduated in 1947.

He met Natalie McKeithen, who was employed at the Western Union on campus, on his first day returning to LSU. They were married Aug. 11, 1946, and remained married for 66 years.

Jim was involved in building management with various oil companies in Midland and Fort Worth for 40 years, retiring from Southland Royalty Co. in 1986. He enjoyed Big Band music and traveling to resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. Jim was an avid LSU football fan, and also enjoyed following the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros and Houston Texans.

Jim will be greatly missed by his family and his lifelong friends, including many friends and acquaintances in Midland, Fort Worth and Kingwood.

The family thanks the Terrace of Kingwood and Vitas Hospice for all of their loving care and support.

Survivors: His loving wife, Natalie M. Eastwood; and his daughter, Dianne Spence and her husband, George Spence, all of Kingwood.