James Ariel Wardlaw

Born in Stephenville, Texas, to Jack and Vivian Lee (Compton) Wardlaw. He graduated from Polytechnic High School at 16. Then attended TCU but finished his degree at Trinity University, while in the Air Force where he helped with the psychological tests for cadets. He left the Air Force to teach history and biology. Throughout his life, he loved learning and completed somewhere between 350 to 400 hours of college, while achieving multiple degrees, in a variety of subjects. He was a couple of points below genius. James was an artist, who loved to paint, a horticulturist, and loved classical music and opera. He was fond of learning and reciting poetry such as Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling to whoever would listen. His love of animals was immense. He even had an opossum come and tap on his den door each night for a long time. James retired from TCC in 2007. Even though James never married or had children, he loved and educated his brothers, sister and nephews as if they were his children. He taught us so much about different things but most of all, like Mom and Dad, through his caring and compassionate heart, taught us to respect, love, and not be so judgmental of others. He told us, "Only those risking to go far will ever know how far they can go". "What the caterpillar thinks Is the end of life, the butterfly knows is the beginning". He agreed with Mahatma Gandhi that wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, and politics without principles were sins. He is survived by his brother, Patrick G. Wardlaw, Sr., sister, Nan Wardlaw Fidler, nephews, J. D. Wardlaw, Patrick G Wardlaw, Jr. and his wife Becky, grandniece, Audrey Ann Wardlaw, and Sean H. Wardlaw and wife Debbie. A special thanks to Denise Olmstead for many hours of caregiving. Visitation: 10:00 AM, Service: 11:00 AM Friday, December 1, 2023, at Winscott Road Funeral Home, 1001 Winscott Road, Benbrook, TX 76126. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send expressions of sympathy to a charity of choice.