James L. Branton passed away peacefully at home on July 19. He was born on April 19, 1938, to Oletha Imogene Westerman and George Linden Branton.

He grew up in Cisco, Texas, where he played football and was routinely tackled after gaining a few yards. The early themes of courage and self-sacrifice continued through his life. Thanks to a devoted teacher, he matriculated to the Air Force Academy on a swimming scholarship, becoming the first in his family to go to college, and ultimately earned a law degree from the University of Texas. In his UT days, he was adventurous enough to start a skydiving club and good-hearted enough to quit when his mother asked him to.