Jimmy Lee Gotcher, 89, of Midland, passed away on August 6, 2016. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 11:00AM at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Midland, with public viewing prior to the service. Private burial will be held at Oplin Cemetery in Oplin, Texas.Jimmy was born to Lee Morgan and Mary Nola Gotcher on December 22, 1926 in Oplin, Texas. He was raised in San Angelo. The family attended Park Heights Baptist Church, where as a boy he accepted the Lord, was baptized, and won the Texas State Junior Bible Memory Contest in 1936. He attended San Angelo High School. He entered the service of US Army in 1944, and after training at Fort Hood, Texas, he spent eighteen months in the South Pacific. Following his time in the service, he returned to San Angelo to attend San Angelo Junior College in the spring semester of 1947. In 1948, while attending school, he met his future wife, Tomasine Armstrong. They were married June 24, 1950. They both graduated from Sul Ross State College in 1952. Jimmy and Tomasine had three children together, Jay, Monalee, and Jeff. They lived in Breckenridge, Texas, from 1952 to 1955 where Jim worked for Swift & Company. They moved to Midland, Texas in February of 1955, and he worked for Lone Star Producing Company. From 1957 to 1959 Jim worked for Gulf Oil Corporation, then from 1959 to 1961 he worked for Sivall's Tank. Beginning in 1961, Jimmy worked for Williams and Lee Scouting Service, which subsequently became Petroleum Information, later sold to Dunn and Bradstreet in 1985. Jimmy retired in 1986 and worked as an independent landman from 1986 until 2011. As a family, they were members of First United Methodist Church in Midland, Texas, where Tomasine and he served as Superintendents of the Junior High Department. Jimmy was a teacher for the 7th grade Sunday School. Later, they served as sponsors of the Methodist Youth Fellowship. He also served as Assistant Boy Scout Master and bus driver for the Troop 152, sponsored by the church. In 1970, while attending a Lay Witness Mission held at First United Methodist, he was deeply touched and rededicated his life to the Lord. Subsequently, he attended and coordinated Lay Witness Missions in Methodist and Baptists churches throughout West Texas and Southeast New Mexico from 1970 to 1974. For the remainder of his life, his heart delighted in serving his Lord and loving his family.He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Tomasine; his brother Nolan; his children and their spouses Jay & Deborah Gotcher, Mona & Denny Snelson, and Jeff & Carla Gotcher; his grandchildren and spouses Meagan & Clay Gardner, Morgan & Sydney Gotcher, Andrew Gotcher, Caroline & Chad Hoban, Hannah & David Longoria, J.Tom & Jill Snelson, Ginny Gotcher & her fiance Steve Grande, Tyler Snelson, Amory & Jordan Skaggs, Will Gotcher, and Emma Gotcher; and his great-grandchildren Abigail Gardner, Alaska Snelson, Jameslee Skaggs, Keira Longoria, Lucy Skaggs, Sawyer Gotcher, Preston Hoban, Bear Snelson, and Jefferson Skaggs.He is preceded in death by his parents Lee & Mary Gotcher, sister Newana Trovero; brother J.C. Gotcher; and granddaughter Annie Jo Gotcher.Pallbearers will be Morgan Gotcher, Andrew Gotcher, J.Tom Snelson, Will Gotcher, Chad Hoban, David Longoria, and Jordan Skaggs.Honorary Pallbearers will be Tyler Snelson and Clay Gardner.In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be donated to: St. Paul Methodist Church Building Fund or Hospice of Midland.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com. ,
