James Samuel Baldry, Jr.

James Samuel Baldry, Jr. died peacefully just aftern Noon on Sunday, September 2, 2012 from brain cancer just 2 days shy of his 72nd birthday. Jim was born on September 4, 2012 in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma to the late James Samuel and Doris (Wilkes) Baldry, Sr. As a young boy, Jim's family moved to Abilene, Texas. While still in his youth, he understood the importance of having a good education and was an excellent student at all of the schools he attended including: College Heights Elementary, Wylie Elementary & Jr. High school as well as South Junior High School in Abilene. He later went on to college and attended Texas A & M and finally received his Bachelor's Degree from Texas Tech. Jim was a brilliant man and was blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, he owned and operated many businesses and was always looking for ways to better himself. He was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan as well as a Arizona DiamondBacks fan, rarely missing a game! Jim was blessed with an incredibly upbeat personality and always saw "the glass 1/2 full." No obituary could better be written than that which was written by him. In his own words: "Life is Good!...by some people's standard, I've been rich...and I've been broke...rich is better...but throughout the years it's been fun. My fiercely independent nature and our free enterprise system in this great country has allowed me to create numerous business and investment opportunities...some successful, and some flopped. Sometimes, I envy people who went to work, stayed within a career field, and basically had a safe, secure and predictable life...but I realize that my freedom came with a price...and have no regrets. "I am saddened, though, by all the names on the "In Memorium" list...many I knew well. "I'm blessed with excellent health...all my teeth, good vision...with a little help from my lasik surgeon...and all my hair...well, at this age I say 51% is "all" of it...and those darn mini-love handles...but I can keep pace with most of the young guys in the gym each day...except the "juiced muscleheads"...however, they keep making bets as to when the old man has to be carried out! "As for disappointments, there have been a few...don't even try to recall them...figure there was much more good than bad...some bad you need in order to recognize the good...although, I do wish I'd been a better baseball player! "God bless the USA...and the military that defends it!" This incredible and dynamic man will be missed by many but, none will miss him more than his own family. Jim is survived by: his long-time companion and best friend, Teresa Suhr of Maricopa, Arizona; 4 children: Steven Baldry of Shelton, Washington, Stefanie Lawrence of Shelton, Washington, Summer (Travis) Flaherty of Chandler, Arizona, Dallas (Rylee) Baldry of Gilbert, Arizona; 5 siblings: David (Pat) Baldry of Austin, Texas, Rick (Diana) Baldry of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tim (Connie) Baldry of Mesa, Arizona, Donna Ellis of the Dallas, Texas area, Dorinda (Rod) Jackson of Cisco, Texas; 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. A special memorial service for James Samuel Baldry, Jr. will begin 10:00 A.M., Thursday, September 6, 2012 at Central Christian Church, 933 N. Lindsay Road in Mesa, Arizona (just south of Brown Road). The concluding service and inurnment will immediately follow at The City of Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center Street in Mesa, Arizona.