James Hugh "Jim" Ailey

James Hugh “Jim” Ailey, son of Orva Ray Ailey and Gladys Iola Parker Ailey, was born February 23, 1937, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and passed away on Friday, August 27, 2011, in Baylor Heart Hospital in Plano, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Shirlee Hickman Ailey; his brother, Orva Eugene Ailey; a sister, Pattriceanne Mills; and a nephew, Cliff Mills. He is survived by daughter Jackie Roberts and her husband Marshall of Cadiz, Kentucky; daughter Shirlee Martindale and her husband Danny of Valley View; son Larry Hickman and his wife Nancy of Flower Mound, Texas; grandchildren Chad Martindale and wife, Syndi, of Stephenville, Texas; Cody Martindale and wife Kristen of Valley View; and Wesley and Alexis Hickman of Flower Mound, Texas. Jim’s great grandchildren are Addison, Rhyder, and Pressly Martindale. He is also survived by one sister, Sandra Ailey Petree, of Salt Lake City, Utah; a sister-in-law, Miquelyn Ailey of Strang, Oklahoma; ten nieces and nephews: Cheryl Benton, Chuck Mills, Mike Gene Ailey, Terri Barrus, Nick Ailey, Lisa Gonzalez, Lisa Smiley, Michael Petree, Terrie Petree Hollands, and Ben Petree, as well as 22 great and 18 great-great nieces and nephews, one aunt, and many cousins. His loss will also be strongly felt by his long-time friend and loving companion, Linda Lynch; a godson, Jim Burrows; and Julie Cheek, whom he counted as a daughter, and a host of close and loving friends



Jim began his career in Gainesville in the Linda Jo Shoe Factory , working his way up to General Manager. When Linda Jo closed, Jim set up the new Dentex operation in Mexico and his own shoe factory in Forestburg, Texas. He also worked with Frankie Schmitz molding outsoles for shoes. As an associate of Rogers Sales Co., he was a sales agent for leather, shoe, and boot companies in Texas and Oklahoma. He later bought Rogers Sales and became a consultant for all areas of the shoe business, from manufacturing to the use of adhesives. Through another of his businesses, JimACo, he became an international production problem consultant. He was instrumental in the development of the J-Flex insole used by Justin Boot Company and others, and obtained a patent for that insole design.



An avid fisherman, Jim was also a fan of OU football and the Dallas Cowboys. He was a talented artist with a great imagination and a tremendous sense of humor. Those who knew him best describe him as witty and entertaining, highly intelligent, and deeply opinionated. He was a strong, confident person, always willing to take charge in any situation. He was also loving, kind , and caring, and was deeply devoted to his immediate and extended family. He had a love for reading and enjoyed playing poker with his friends. They might all agree that Jim usually won the game.



Services will be Wednesday, August 31, at Carroll Funeral Home at 2:00 p.m. Family will receive friends and visitors at 1:00 p.m. Pallbearers are his nephews; honorary pallbearers are Ben Byrd, Jim West, Glenn Middleton, and Bob Weber. Interment will be at Nelson Grove Cemetery in Woodbine, where Jim will rest, appropriately, between his mother and his wife.