James Marvin "Cowboy" Williams

James Marvin "Cowboy" Williams passed from this life on Monday, May 29, 2023 at 1:20 a.m. after a brief illness at the age of 96 years at his home on his prized Bar W Ranch in Bedias, Texas.

Marvin was born Thursday, March 31, 1927 at 8:00 p.m. to Joseph Clifton Williams and Vesta Elnora (Gossett) Williams in Lyford, Willacy County, Texas.

Marvin married Doris Elaine Jacobs, daughter of Nelson "Jake" Otto Jacobs and Mary Priscilla “Edith” (Coffey) Jacobs, on Thursday, May 5, 1949 at the First Baptist Church in Victoria, Texas. To this union four children were born: Melonie Susan (sp. Peter Masih), James "Jimmy" Nelson (sp. Debbie Burr), John Wesley (sp. Tracie Evans) and Shirley Marie (sp. Paul Wachtendorf). He is survived by nine grandchildren: Kim (Williams) Santibanez, Rachel (Masih) Braden, John Masih, Heather (Williams) Penick, Jake Wachtendorf, Jessica (Williams) Ortiz, Ty Williams, Jerad Wachtendorf, Jay Williams. He was known to his grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren as Paw Paw.

Mr. Williams was a WWII Veteran having proudly served his country in the US Navy in the Pacific Theater. He served as a Police Officer for the City of Victoria, a Deputy Sheriff for Calhoun County, a Police Sergeant for the City of Port Lavaca, and Police Chief for City of Crockett, Texas. His heart belonged to ranching, farming, and working. Daddy/Paw Paw thought if he was working, everybody else ought to be working, too. His preferred hours were from sunup to sundown and often beyond that.

Mr. Williams was a member of the Bedias church of Christ and served as an Elder for the Point Comfort church of Christ. He was a member of the Southwest Cattlemen's Association, Former Board Member of Calhoun County Soil Conservation District, Former Member of Walker County Soil Conservation, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Sons of the Confederacy, and American Angus Association.

Mr. Williams introduced the Black Angus cattle breed to Calhoun County, Texas. He was the first in the county to operate a self-propelled cotton harvester co-owned by his father, JC Williams, in Calhoun County. Cowboy was a rancher/farmer his entire life and always told his children, "If you have land, you have everything, but keeping it might be hard." Marvin had a litany of jobs throughout his life, but there was always a horse, cow or tractor involved.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years Doris Elaine (Jacobs) Williams, his parents and sister Alice Maurine (Williams) Mayben.

Graveside services will be conducted at Memory Gardens, Victoria, Texas on June 5, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. Family friend, Tom Pitchford, will conduct the service with Military Honors provided by the United States Navy.

Pallbearers include grandsons John Masih, Jake Wachtendorf, Jerad Wachtendorf, Ty Williams, Jay Williams, and grandson-in-law Nick Penick.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Disabled American Veterans (https://www.dav.org/) or Texas Fallen Officer Foundation (https://www.texasfof.org/).