Jimmy Lee Shiflet of Austin, Texas passed away peacefully on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 83, surrounded by his family. Although he will be deeply and profoundly missed, his friends and family will fondly remember his enthusiasm for sports, incredible memory and story-telling, enjoyment of great food, and above all, his love for his family.

Jim was born on Sunday, October 26, 1941 in Harlingen, TX to Curtis and Aurelia Shiflet. In his telling of his birth story, he never left out the fact that this was exactly 6 weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Curtis was a football coach in San Benito and Aurelia taught first grade. Jim moved from San Benito to Harlingen in 1947 and lived there with his parents and younger brother Allan until his family’s move to Austin in 1955 when he was 13 years old. His childhood days were filled with imaginary games of cowboys and action heroes, trips to South Padre Island where his family camped on the beach, visits to movie theaters, summers spent at swimming holes, and plenty of stops at hamburger joints with his uncles and cousins. A life-long love of baseball started in the summer of 1951, and he would remain passionate about the sport for the rest of his life. He attended McCallum High School and took some courses at the University of Texas.

As a man of many talents, Jim held a variety of jobs throughout his life. His first jobs ranged from picking cotton for $1.50 a day at age 12 to delivering newspapers and milk bottles (where he was paid in pints or orange juice!). In his teenage years, he cleaned used cars at his Uncle Mort’s car dealership. Later in life he was an insurance underwriter and manager for various car dealerships. A constant theme throughout these jobs was Jim’s ability to talk to and connect with everyone he met. Nearly every person to cross his path in life received his customary question of “What’s your name and where are you from?” Almost without fail, Jim would have a story or tidbit of knowledge about something relating to their lives. Jim’s memory was truly astounding. He loved to tell stories of his childhood and young adult life, and each one included incredible details, from the exact date all the way down to the addresses of every house and office he worked at, and exact prices he paid for various items.

In his final days, Jim happily reflected on his self-described “full life.” He recounted his travels to 8 different countries and the countless sporting events he attended. He considered himself a sports junkie, and enjoyed both playing golf and watching sports. As a child, Jim watched many Texas football games from the “Knothole Section” that was located in the north end zone and allowed school-aged children admittance for 50 cents apiece. Beginning in 1951, Jim and his father attended the A&M vs. Texas game every Thanksgiving. It became a beloved tradition, and the entrance of the Aggie band performing their fight song was his favorite part. His family’s purchase of a color television set in 1967 was a monumental event in his memory, as it allowed him to watch football games in color!

More than anything, Jim loved his family. He was incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments and loved being a grandfather. Nothing brought him more joy in life than spending time with the people he cared most about. Jim was preceded in death by parents Curtis and Aurelia Shiflet and wife Janette Shiflet. He is survived by daughters Cathy Miller and Jana Pickett, son Jesse Shiflet, step daughters Anastasiya Bulavkina and Elena Bulavkina, grandchildren Hannah Pickett, Trevor Pickett, Dylan Miller, Devon Miller, Jace Shiflet and June Shiflet, and brother Allan Shiflet.

A private Celebration of Life will be held in Austin with friends and family.

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