JAMES HUNTER RENIERS, III
1942-2020
James Hunter Reniers III, 78, of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully on September 15, 2020 after a short illness with his family by his side.
Jim was born in Jacksonville, Florida a month after Pearl Harbor. His mother, Margaret Child Reniers, raised him while his father, James Hunter Reniers, Jr., Commander USN (Ret.), served in the Pacific Theater of WWII. The family, including little sister Anne Reniers Vose, eventually settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His parents and sister Anne, as well as grandson Sam Reniers (b/d 2012), proceeded him in death. Tulsa was the root of Jim’s upbringing and the setting of many stories that were a highlight of the Jim experience. At Central High School, class of 1960, he was a standout athlete and a leader of his peers.
Jim attended the University of Oklahoma and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Following college Jim married Viva Lee Kennedy of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then began his 50+ year career in oil and gas equipment sales, a path that eventually brought him and his new family to Houston, Texas. Jim’s high principles made his approach to sales focused on making and meeting personal commitments, rather than just getting the next deal. He built decades long friendships with his business associates.
Jim is survived by his loving wife, Viva Lee Kennedy Reniers; his children Vanessa Reniers Harder, Joseph Hunter Reniers and Devon Reniers Bank; and seven grandchildren: Henry Harder, Gabrielle Harder, Kennedy Harder, J. Hunter Reniers, Jr., Clara Bank, Ellis Reniers, and Harrison Bank. Jim was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren, as anyone who made his acquaintance would know.
Jim enjoyed OU Football, hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, golf, and spending time with friends and family. He was a loyal dog owner and known for his daily walks around the neighborhood.
A small family service will be planned at the family mausoleum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jim’s name to Houston SPCA (houstonspca.org)