James Cottingham (Jim) Yarbrough, 86, of Beaumont, died Thursday, October 23, 2014. He was born December 3, 1927, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Hattie Mae and Robert Yarbrough. Jim was reared in Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to Gardendale, Alabama, in 1950.
His career began in 1945 at American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) in Birmingham. Jim was transferred to Beaumont in 1970 as Vice President and General Manager of American Valve and Hydrant Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of ACIPCO. He was elected President of American Valve and Hydrant Manufacturing Company, Beaumont in 1979 and retired in 1994, after forty-nine years of service.
He was active in church, community, and professional organizations. Jim was serving as Mayor of Gardendale, Alabama, when he was transferred to Beaumont. He was named Business Man of the Year in 1981 by the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and served as Chamber Chairman from 1989-1990. Jim was named the Economic Developer of the Year in 1987 in the State of Texas. He worked tirelessly over a number of years for the improvement of the Beaumont Independent School District.
Jim was an avid golfer, football fan, loved to travel with his family, and was an accomplished story teller. He was an active member of Hamaco Sunday School Class and Trinity United Methodist Church.
Jim is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years, Jean Pesnell Yarbrough; children, Gayle Rhoads and her husband, Rocky, of Beaumont; Sue Gober and her husband, Tom, of Fairhope, Alabama; and Bob Yarbrough and his wife, Leslie, of Hume, Virginia; grandchildren, Todd Gober and his wife, Leslie; Mandy Harris and her husband, Joe; and Mariel Yarbrough; great-grandchildren, Peyton and Brooke Gober; and several nephews and nieces.
A gathering of Mr. Yarbrough’s family and friends will be from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., Sunday, October 26, 2014, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 27, 2014, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison Avenue, Beaumont, with Dr. Robert C. Shield officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5247, Beaumont, Texas 77726 or to Some Other Place, P.O. Box 843, Beaumont, Texas 77704.
