Visitation for James Edwin Kessler, 79, of Livingston, Texas will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 on Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Cochran Funeral Home in Livingston, Texas.

Ahhh the stories they are going to tell! It began on October 9, 1939 in St. Joseph Hospital In Houston, TX. One month after Hitler invaded Poland, to begin World War II. James's dad, George E. Kessler Jr. would join the Navy during that war. His mother Sally Ruth (White) would follow him, giving birth to a tiny baby sister, that he would forever call Eleanor Jane. (He was a firm believer that in the South girls
had to have two first names) His baby brother, Albert Wayne was born in California, giving James two younger siblings to rule over and torture for the rest of their life at home, just ask them.

James graduated from Livingston High School in 1958 in a class that has held together from that day forward, class reunions were a highlight since that time, all remembered fondly. He attended Tarlton Junior College and Texas A & M after graduation, never getting a college degree he still amassed a large amount of college hours by attending night school. He joined the United States Air Force on July 1, 1962. He has told many stories of huge computers that he worked on at Ellington Air Force base and the astronauts that he met. He was discharged from active duty on June 1, 1964 and reserve duty on September 7, 1967.

He moved to Liberty, TX in 1964 to work for Tony Peebles at Liberty Auto parts, and lord have we heard all those stories. From there he was employed by Texas Gulf Sulphur, moving to Louisiana then to his heaven on earth Dakar, Senegal. From June of 1969 to spring of 1971 was a time that generated story after story of time spent in Africa. We forewarned all new acquaintance that the very mention of Africa would entrap them for an extended stay. I think we forgot to tell Kathy Jo, Mike could do nothing to stop that flow once it started.

He moved back to Livingston and started Kessler Auto Parts in 1972, joined the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department in 1973 (I could never get it through his head that fire practice was not at the Red Horse Saloon or Beacon Bay) retiring in 1983 from active duty to Cook at fire school until 2017. Folks you do not have enough time left in your life to hear all those stories. He worked for Oscar Lee Martin
(cowboying does not pay enough in Polk County) Wayne Duncan Chevrolet, Thomas Supply and finally United Gas. In March of 1994 a heart attack and the July 4 swan dive to a concrete floor ended his employment. Three things he loved in this life were #1 cigarettes (last thing to stop before he died and the major cause of his death) #2 Whiskey and #3 his granddaughter Andi. The rest of us were just along for the ride.

He had nicknames for friends Gene Bush (Colombo), John Thompson (Time out). John's came from a Davis Mountain trip. We are not at liberty to relate any Davis Mountain stories, we signed a confidentially agreement. I cannot thank John Gardner and Mike Parker enough for their never ending visits. Punishing as they may have been at times.

James checked out in style surrounded by five women on July 2, 2019. We will never be able to say thank you enough to Harbor Hospice for their unlimited care. He told Alyssa Toler and Kassie Peters he was going to miss them. They had our backs from January to July.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and great-granddaughter, Makynlee Grace Armstrong. He is survived by his wife, Janie Pinckard Kessler; son and wife, Gary Wayne and Bennie Kessler; daughter and husband, Melinda Sue and Alex Kotesky; step-son and wife, Tim Harvey and Crystal Perdue; grandchildren, Zach Manning, Andi Armstrong and husband Matt, Cydney Kessler, Zack Kessler, Jacob Potor, and Carlos Kotesky; great-grandchildren, Dominic, Isabella, and Weston; sister and husband, Janie and Larry Lindsey; and brother and wife, Wayne and Cynthia Kessler; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.