James “Jim” Kilroy, 80, a resident of Galveston County, Texas died on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.  Jim was born in Illinois on September 23, 1943 by parents, Bill and Olive Kilroy.  Jim was preceded in death by his parents, wife Helen, son Mark, sister and brother.  He leaves behind his son Keith and wife and two grandchildren; and his sister and brother and their spouses and children.  Friends said Jim was a very kind and generous person.  Always ready to help in any way he could.  Relatives said Jim loved taking us fishing and baiting our hooks so we could catch the big fish!

Jim retired as a chemical engineer where he spent decades working with different refineries throughout the world and was well known in Galveston area refineries.  Jim was never one to brag but he held patents for his employer, Universal Oil Products (UOP), now known as Honeywell UOP, where he first started working as a chemist in 1961 for few years before becoming an engineer.

Jim’s hobbies included holding a pilot’s license when younger and competing as black belt in Judo in college.  He enjoyed fishing, boating, swimming, waterskiing, basketball, baseball/softball and tennis with family and friends.  Jim was an avid golfer and was an assistant golf pro at a county club when he was younger.  He and his brother were known to hit long and high drives like the pros.  Jim made trips to Louisiana casinos with friends and several trips to Las Vegas with family.  He was very proud of his garden with various crops he cultivated with his family and his farm with cows, goats and chickens over the years.

Jim traveled many miles across America and the world as an engineer.  His family joined him on some of his trips.  The yearly Kilroy Christmas trip to Florida to spend the holidays with family never got old for Jim.  Jim and his wife Helen went overseas visiting the Holy Lands and the Vatican and overseas trips with family.

Jim was an active member of the Catholic Church his entire life.  He was involved in many church ministries: Knights of Columbus, Guadalupanos, Eucharist Minster, Marriage Encounter and other activities.  Jim and his family took in several foster children through Catholic Charities.  He helped with the annual church bazaar auctions, cub scouts, boy scouts, meals on wheels and other activities, mostly with his wife, Helen of over 47 years until her death from ALS in 2014.  Jim encouraged others to volunteer whenever they could.  He inspired his sons to learn the value of volunteering and how important it was to help others in need.

In 1989, Jim and Helen’s son, Mark was murdered by a drug smuggling cult in Matamoros, Mexico while Mark and his friends were on spring break from college.  Jim and his family immediately forgave the murderers of Mark as taught by Catholic faith.  Jim and Helen founded the Mark Kilroy Foundation (MKF) after visiting Washington, D.C. and meeting with President H.W. Bush and top officials about drug violence.  MKF provided decades of at-risk drug intervention counselors at school districts, decades of summer programs, (i.e. archery, fishing, golfing, etc.), nineteen years of an annual dinner dance fundraisers to fund the summer program and raise drug awareness; and anti-drug scholarships for college and trade schools since 1989.  Jim wrote the book, Sacrifice with co-author, Bob Stewart that accurately depicted Mark’s abduction and story that followed.  Jim was the Mark Kilroy Foundation president and chairman of the board from 1989 until his sudden and unexpected death.  For more information about Jim’s foundation, visit https://www.markkilroyfoundation.org/ .

Many thanks go out to all that prayed for Jim and his family after he went to the emergency room and subsequently fought for his life at the hospital.  His son was by Jim’s side during his hospital stay to pray and comfort him and Jim’s priest made several visits to pray with him and his son.  Jim was not afraid to die since he knows as a Catholic that we have eternal life and he looked forward to seeing his wife, son, relatives and friends again in Heaven.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Alvin, Texas on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.  Jim will have a private burial.