James Allen Cooley

James (Jim) Allen Cooley passed away in his home on May 19th, 2025. He was 78 years old.

Jim was born to Sherwood and Wanda Cooley in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but moved to Sherman, Texas, shortly after. As a young man, Jim obtained the rank of Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts of America including participation in the Order of the Arrow, which helped to launch a deep-rooted interest in Native American art and culture. After graduating high school, Jim attended Abilene Christian College and The University of Texas at Austin where he met many of his lifelong best friends, before graduating from Austin College in Sherman.

After graduating college, he married Mary Elizabeth (Betsy) Earhart and returned to Austin. After working various jobs, he and Betsy decided to start their own jewelry making business. They started out selling in the 23rd Street Artist Market in Austin, before eventually selling at art festivals throughout Texas and the United States. In the summer, Jim would travel with his son Bob around the Midwest selling jewelry and exploring the country.

Jim had some troubled times after his divorce, which ultimately led him to join Bouldin Group. Through Alcoholics Anonymous, Jim was able to achieve sobriety for more than 28 years until his passing. He was a cherished member of the Bouldin Group and he helped many others to achieve sobriety.

With his sobriety, Jim was able to open a whole new chapter of his life. First working as a technical sales representative for Signity, he was able to learn Spanish and travel the world, visiting 3 continents and many different countries. After leaving Signity, Jim worked at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) where he helped countless homeless Austinites with basic services.

In retirement, Jim continued to stay active in the Bouldin Group and worked with his friend Dan Swan to co-author a book, Wedding Clothes and the Osage Community: A Giving Heritage. He continued to pursue his collecting Native American Art and Artifacts. Jim also loved visiting his son Bob, daughter-in-law Erika and his grandchildren, CJ and Laken.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Sherwood and Wanda Cooley. He is survived by his son Robert (Bob) Cooley, his daughter-in-law Erika, and their two children CJ and Laken.

A memorial will be held at the Bouldin Group, 601 Bouldin Ave, Austin, TX on Sunday, May 25th at 2:17 PM.