J. D. Langston, 81, of Port Neches, died on July 25, 2005, at Lumberton Rehabilitation Center, Lumberton, Texas. Services will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, July 29, 2005, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Nederland, Texas, with Rev. Earl Cantrelle and Reverend Kevin Otto officiating. Burial will be at sunrise, 6:34 AM, on Saturday, July 30, 2005, at Oak Bluff Cemetery in Port Neches, Texas, with Rev. Eldon Reed and Rev. Kevin Otto officiating. Visitation will be held between 5:00 and 8:00 PM on Thursday, July 28, 2005 at Broussard’s Nederland.
J. D. was a native of Village Mills, Texas. He was raised in Port Neches, graduating from Port Neches High School in 1941. After living in Beaumont and Nederland, he returned to Port Neches where he lived for the past 35 years. He was a retired Maintenance Analyst from Gulf Oil Corporation in Port Arthur, where he worked for almost 30 years. While there, he was responsible for the budget of the Chemicals and Refining Divisions. Prior to working for Gulf Oil, he was the chief clerk for William Cameron and Company, Wholesale Building Materials, where he managed the office and staff.
J. D. enjoyed helping people. After retirement, he worked for 15 years as a volunteer for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, which provides free assistance to taxpayers who cannot afford professional help. He loved spending time with his wife at their home in Wildwood, that they nicknamed, “Hope Cottage.” He served for 17 years as Secretary on the Board of Directors at Wildwood. After retirement, he also served on the Chevron Gulf Retirees Association, where he enjoyed planning gumbo dinners and traveling to annual meetings across the United States.
J. D. had a love for God and his church. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church for over 40 years. As a member, he served as Chairman of the Board, Lay Leader, Chairman of the Finance Committee, various other offices and worked with the youth.
J. D. had a great love of youth and baseball. He was one of the planners and builders of the Nederland Babe Ruth League and ballpark. He helped make a great ballpark out of a weed grown lot. He served as team manager, teaching many youth to play baseball and held several officer positions, later becoming the State Director of the Babe Ruth League Eastern Division.
J. D. served in World War II, as a Radio Operator in the Merchant Marines. His ship took him around the world, generating interesting stories he loved to share about Japan, India, New Guinea, and the Philippines.
J. D. dearly loved his wife, Frances, an RN and school nurse, whom he met on a blind date and later married June 7th of 1953. He was very proud of his daughter, Nancy, and his beautiful granddaughters, Amanda and Alyssa. He also loved his son-in-law, Gregg, whom he loved like the son he never had. He was preceded in death by a great, granddaughter, Hannah Nicole Miller, and his father, Claud Langston of Alabama, stepmother, Thelma Langston, and mother, Avie Rainer of Beaumont. He will be missed by his faithful dog, Katy.
He is also survived by one sister, Anne Lind of Irving, Texas; brother Claud Langston, Jr. of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; brother Jim Langston of Nashville, Tennessee; brother Dr. Robert Langston of San Francisco, California and many other friends and relatives.
