James Presley Horan
December 29, 1965 - September 20, 2023
Heaven received a new choir member on Sept 20, 2023. That evening James Presley Horan received his heavenly wings.
His journey to those wings started very early in life. At 3 years old he began many years of scripture memorization in the yearly contest of Bible Memory Association. He developed a love for the Lord that simply bubbled over to all those around him.
His love for his hometown was also expressed very early by joining the Greenville Revitalization Committee and working hard even as a child.
Many people were touched by God's love through his cooking. Not just weddings and birthdays but he made it a point, not to ask, but to show up at your house with food at critical times like an illness or death in the family.
His competitive edge in regards to food came out when he entered the Men and Boy's Cookery Competition at the Hunt County Fair as soon as he was old enough to do so. The first entry (at about 9 years old!) was a watermelon cake. It didn't taste like watermelon but each slice of the bundt cake looked like watermelon with red cake, chocolate chips, and thick green icing!
Just after high school he started working for a caterer, Gail Spurlock, to learn everything about her business. She said "he had an eye for the arts, a perfect pallet, and a love for people. What an awesome combination." When she retired, she referred all her business to him. And, as he said, his business was born. Even at the end in the hospital, he was watching cooking shows and coming up with new recipes to serve.
James attended East Texas State University (now Texas A&M Commerce) and received an MIS (Management Information Systems) degree. Even though he worked weekdays at KPMG (a big 4 Accounting Firm) he still lived in Greenville and catered on the weekends! In the early 2000's the Dairy Manor was born. James now had a place to cook and to host events. He took the leap to be his own boss full time and never looked back. His willingness to bake, create and decorate are legendary, rarely turning down any request. He worked tirelessly to fullfill the culinary desires of hosts and hostesses statewide and beyond.
His love of the arts was not limited to food. He was a member of both Greenville High School band and Acapella choir, participating in the annual band & flash floor shows and choir musicals during high school. He even had a summer job singing in the musical Texas in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. In other arts, he excelled at putting gardens together as well as decorating rooms and church alters. The most exciting tiered cake he made had the Willy Wonka elevator flying out the top.
One summer during college he had the opportunity to combine his love for God and people as well as singing on a multiweek mission trip to Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The group lived in the middle of it all at Metro Baptist Church by the Port Authority. Each day was an opportunity to show God's love to people from soup kitchens to impromptu concerts in Battery Park.
His passion and love for all the people he had the opportunity to serve will be terribly missed.
James was a lifelong member of Wesley United Methodist Church and was the man behind the camera in the Livingroom Service. His joyfilled singing was a blessing to all who heard him.
Son of William A (Bill) Horan, Jr. and Mary Alberta Crabb Horan and husband to Richard Forbis. All of whom predeceased him.
He is survived by a brother William A Horan, III, husband of Deborah Horan, and two sisters Mary Sue Horan and Barbara Ann Horan.
To carry on James' legacy, instead of flowers, please share an act of kindness with someone in need around you. Even a smile could make someone's day! If you need a suggestion of a ministry he liked, then Hunt County Shared Ministries (FISH) was very dear to him. Thanks so much for all your prayers, kind words, and well wishes. We will all miss him very much!
Services at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1200 E Joe Ramsey Blvd Greenville Texas 75402 on Sunday October 8, 2023 at 3pm.
Obituary Provided By:
5100 Interstate 30 (at US-69)
Greenville, TX 75402
www.coker-mathews.com
903.455.4110
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