J.A. Elkins

JAMES ANDERSON ELKINS, JR.,loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, died February 21, 2006. Born March 24, 1919 on Galveston Island to Isabel Sims Mitchell and "Judge" J. A. Elkins, he attended Kinkaid School, San Jacinto High School, The Hill School, and Princeton University, graduating in 1941.

At thirteen, he began his career in banking as a runner for the City National Bank, retiring 56 years later as Senior Chairman of First City National Bank in 1988. He married the love of his life, Margaret Keith Wiess, on November 24, 1945, and due to their shared interest in the citizens of Houston, they made significant contributions to the business, civic, and cultural lives of the city they loved.

In addition to his banking activities, he served as a director of American General, Cameron Iron Works, Eastern Airlines, Freeport-McMoran, and the Hill-Samuel Group, Ltd.

He was involved with numerous organizations in Houston and served as a trustee or director of Baylor College of Medicine, Central Houston, Houston Grand Opera, the Menil Foundation, Princeton University, St. John's School, National Board of the Smithsonian Institute, Society for the Performing Arts, Texas Children's Hospital, and the University of Houston Board of Regents.