James “Cowboy” Fernandez, 86, of Groves passed away on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.

He was born on December 12, 1931 to his parents, Manuel Fernandez and Josephine Martinez Fernandez in Port Arthur, Texas. James served in the United States Air Force. He retired from Gulf States Utilities with over 42 years of service. He was the founder of Sure Shot Game Calls, Inc., a game call manufacturing company in Groves. James served on the Groves City Council for a number of years. He was a member of Memorial Church of Christ in Port Arthur.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Iva Mae Fernandez and daughter, Diana Kaye Fernandez, his parents and his siblings.

James is survived by his two daughters, Sandra Arnold and husband, Stephen of Groves, Linda Mayberrry and husband, Bob of Rye, Texas, his two sons, James Williams of Eugene, Oregon and Floyd James Fernandez and wife, Gail of Santa Clarita, California. He has eight grandchildren left to cherish his memory, Kim Prince of Texas, Kevin Mayberry and wife, Misty of Nederland, TX., Curtis Arnold and wife, Becky of Beaumont, TX., Kelli Sandoval and husband, Jessie of Austin, TX., Leslie Arnold of Groves, TX., Brittany Taylor of Perry, OK., Jeanine Mansfield and husband, Michael of Santa Clarita, CA., Wendy Apkarian and husband, Marc of Buena Park, CA.

He is also survived by his great grandchildren, Christopher Mayberry, Loren Mayberry, Keeli Prince, Kaylee Rowley, Garrett Morse, Guy Taylor, III, Luke Taylor, Chloe Arnold, Sadie Sandoval, Christian Mayberry, Courtney Prince, Madeline Mansfield, Maverick Mansfield and Taleen Apkarian along with his great-great grandchildren, Maranda Rowley, Hayden Mayberry and Brantley Cooper Forster. He also leaves one sister, Mercedes Dutton of Baytown, TX., brother, Ralph Fernandez of California and one sister-in-law, Fern Bell of Weatherford, TX., numerous cousins, nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Friday, August 24, 2018 from 5:00 PM till 8:00 PM at Clayton Thompson Funeral Home in Groves, TX. Funeral Service to honor James’s life will be celebrated at 2:00 PM Saturday, August 25, 2018 at Memorial Church of Christ, 2525 Aero Drive, Port Arthur, Texas 77640. Burial with Full Military honors will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches, TX.