James went home to the Lord Sunday, September 10th, 2023, at the age of 85, following a short illness. He was born May 12, 1938, to James W. Kimzey and Dorothy Johnston of Magnet Cove, AR. Both parents were educators, active in the community, and set the pace for Jim's life.

He has left behind his wife Jane Bruton Kimzey of their home in Magnet Cove; two daughters, Brenda Kimzey (Ron Radoichin), of Sun City, Arizona; Judy Kimzey (Mike Simpson), of Van Alstyne, Texas; a former wife, Ann Smedley, of Magnet Cove; Son John Kimzey (Amy), of Hatfield, Arkansas. Grand children Kelsey Hill, of Seattle, Washington; Brett Hill (Sarah), of Phoenix, Arizona; Nathan Kimzey (Shannon) of Magnet Cove, Arkansas; Benjamin Kimzey of St. Louis, Missouri; Great Granddaughter,

Aurora Kimzey of Magnet Cove. Also, numerous cousins across the country, including Jimmy Kimzey (Betty) of Magnet Cove; Burke Johnston of Little Rock, Arkansas. He has been an active member of the Magnet Cove United Methodist Church for the last 22 years since retirement in 2001. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

He graduated from Magnet Cove High School in 1955, and went on to the University of Arkansas, earning his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1961. Although his roots were in Arkansas, he transferred to Kansas State University, where he earned his Master of Science, in Mechanical Engineering, in 1963.,

Completing his PhD, also at Kansas State, his choice was to be drafted, or choose a branch of the Armed Forces. He chose the U.S Army where he attained the rank of Captain, serving for a time in Huntsville, Alabama with the early space efforts, including Sky Lab and Saturn rocket development.

After discharge in 1968, he returned to Arkansas as Assistant and then Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering school at Fayetteville. His favorite classes were always those that included hands on engineering, learning the math and physics and putting them to use in real world projects. The first several Mini Baja builds, taking the completed projects to varying other schools across the country in competitions. Win, lose, or sink in the flotation portion, the students learned, had fun doing it, and it was sometimes difficult to tell the difference between student and instructor.

In 1981, having been consultant to Baldor Electric Motor Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas for 2 years or so, they offered him a position as Chief Engineer. After 14 years in the classroom, the decision was heart wrenching, but he accepted. For 20 years, as the company grew and moved into new areas of technology and product lines, his positions moved upward, his responsibilities broader, and challenges for his intellect that never ceased to be the very thing to utilize and energize his knowledge and talents.

Upon retirement in 2001, James and Jane moved back to Magnet Cove, built a house on the family farm. Forestry and farming were two new areas of interest, and passion. Planting Loblolly Pine on the steep hills and ridges, and the Ouachita bottoms for flood control, learning about horticulture in some modern methods for the pasture lands, his love of learning something new as well as reestablishing ties to his hometown gave him great pleasure, made a new circle of friends, and cared well for the family farm to pass to the 4th and fifth generations, and further.