Jimmie Hill Godwin, age 83, passed away on October 15, 2010 at Cypress Glen Nursing Home in Port Arthur, Texas.  She was born on August 31, 1927 in Gilliam, Louisiana to Jesse and Mary Hill and graduated from Leverett’s Chapel Senior High School in Overton, Texas in 1945.  She married Jack W. Godwin on September 7, 1946 and they were blessed with two children, Meldie Julaine and Jacquelyn Sue. 

In 1955 Jimmie and her family moved to Port Neches and she worked for Smith Drug Store for several years.  After the girls graduated high school, she and Jack lived briefly in Nashville, Tennessee before moving back and making Nederland their home.

After Jack passed away in 1997, Jimmie became an avid sports fan.  She watched golf, tennis, football, baseball and her all time favorite, basketball.  The family soon learned don’t call to chat when important matches or games were on the television because she may say she would talk later after it was over, she may not answer at all or there would be a busy signal.  Being able to visit by telephone depended on how her favorite team or player was doing right at that time.

Besides her husband of fifty-one years, Jimmie was also preceded in death by her sister, Jessie Hill Kettler; her brother, Eugene James Hill; and her great grandson, Caden James Richter.

Jimmie is survived by her daughters, Julaine Helper of Houston and Jacquelyn Toups and her husband Gary of Nederland; grandchildren, Corey Helper and his wife Denise of Daphne, Alabama, Kevin Helper of Houston, Danica Smith of Nederland, and Chad Bradberry and his wife Holly of Groves; step grandchildren, Heather Carrillo and her husband Luis of Richmond, Texas, Matt Toups and his wife Jamie of Groves, and Amy Richter and her husband Demetres of Houston; and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Graveside service will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday, October 23, 2010 at Oak Bluff Cemetery in Port Neches with Reverend Adam Pardue officiating under the direction of Broussard’s, 505 12th Street, Nederland.  Serving as pallbearers will be her grandsons and grandsons-in law.  A gathering of family and friends will be on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Broussard’s.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society, 755 South 11th Street, Suite 212, Beaumont, Texas 77701 or The Student Scholarship Fund, Nederland Masonic Lodge #1368 A.F. & A.M., 1204 12th Street, Nederland, Texas 77627.

The family would like to thank all of the staff from Cypress Glen Nursing Home and Odyssey Healthcare for their compassion and wonderful care they provided to our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in her final months