James Henry Pendleton, Jr., MD, 93, passed peacefully at his home, in the arms of the love of his life, his wife of over forty years, VeRonica.

He was the youngest child born to loving parents, the late James Henry Pendleton, Sr., and the late Zenobia Jones Pendleton, on August 11, 1928, in Houston, Texas. His two late siblings, and their late spouses, Marcia Pendleton (Lee) Welch, and Renetta Pendleton (Elegy) Etter, adored him.

He was the father of three children, daughter, Marcietta Pendleton, of Houston, Texas, son, James Henry Pendleton, III, (deceased), and Cheyenne Boyd, of Houston, Texas.

He accepted his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at an early age, and was baptized at Union Missionary Baptist Church. He later united with Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as a Trustee.

His parents, and the majority of their siblings were educators, so he and his siblings were continuously encouraged to strive for academic excellence. He attended the Houston Public School System, and graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School, at the top of his class, at the age of fifteen.

He began his quest for an undergraduate degree at Dillard University, in New Orleans, Louisiana. After the completion of his sophomore year, to the displeasure of his parents, he paused his studies, and enlisted in the United States Army.

His military service duties, as a Medic, took him from Fort Knox, Kentucky to Yokohama, Japan. Upon his return to the States, he was assigned to the maternity ward of Presidio Base Hospital, in San Francisco, California. He was awarded the Occupational Medal for his military service in Japan.

Once honorably discharged, he returned to Houston, and enrolled at Texas State University for Negroes, later renamed Texas Southern University (TSU). While a student at TSU, he was initiated into the Tau Epsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in Chemistry, he immediately applied to and was accepted into the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), in Galveston, Texas. He was only the second African American to attain this accomplishment. After graduating, he completed a preceptorship in General Practice, under the mentorship of the late Dr. Jesse Burnett, in Fort Worth, Texas, followed by an Internship at St. Agnes Hospital, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Upon his return to his hometown, he built and established a highly successful private practice in northeast Houston, in the community affectionately known as "Frenchtown." He and his office manager/Nurse assistant, the late Mrs. Joyce Carter, delivered the gold standard of medical care to all patients.

He served as Chief of Staff at the following medical facilities: Lockwood Hospital, Riverside General Hospital, and St. Elizabeth Hospital. In addition, he was selected to serve as the Department Head, in various Specialty Areas. He served as the Medical Director of New Channel Home Health Services.

Subsequently, he relocated his office to the Third Ward/Mid-Town community, in the city. After Mrs. Carter's retirement, he began to work side-by-side with his daughter, "Ms. Cheyenne," until his retirement in December 2015.

He was affiliated with, and he held various offices in numerous professional organizations over the years: those included, the National Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the Houston Medical Forum, and he was a charter member of the American College of General Practice, at the request of Dr. Michael DeBakey. He was also a life member of the UTMB Alumni Association.

His hobbies included saltwater fishing, boating, gardening, bowling, cooking, solving crossword puzzles, Jumbles, Sudoku, watching old westerns and listening to jazz. He especially enjoyed watching professional sport games. His favorite teams were the LA Dodgers, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Baltimore Ravens.

He was a voracious reader, and a consumer of "real news." He watched hours of MSNBC, CNN, PBS, the History Channel, National Geographic, and any shows that featured animals.

He and his wife enjoyed many fun-filled vacations. Some of their favorite destinations were Las Vegas, New Orleans, Puerto Vallarta (their honeymoon spot), and San Antonio.

His impeccable taste, and great sense of style were ever present. His well-tailored suits were always paired with matching-colored loafers.

As an African American male, who grew up during the days of the Jim Crow Era, in the segregated South, he was civically and socially conscious. He proclaimed his opportunity to cast his vote for Barack Obama, propelling him to the office of President, as one of his proudest moments.

His indomitable strength came from his trust and faith, and his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It also allowed him to navigate the many joys, and the almost unbearable sorrows of his life with true humility, and an abundance of grace.

By the end of his professional journey, he had provided superb medical care to many patients, performing thousands of surgeries, and delivering multiple generations of babies. He considered himself extremely honored and privileged to have been entrusted with the medical care of three generations of patients, for over a span of 60 years.

He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife, VeRonica Allen Pendleton, his two daughters, Marcietta Pendleton and Cheyenne Boyd, his nephew, Dr. E. Leon (Ronetta) Etter, II, his sister-inlaw, Thearodesia Williams, several grand, great-grand, and great-great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, and other expressions of sympathy, you may make a donation to the scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Pendleton's memory at:

development.utmb.edu/give

or

by phone at, 409-772-5151

or

by mail at, Development Services

Memorials & Tributes

301 University Blvd.

Galveston, TX 77550-0148

If the donation is made by check, please indicate the Dr. James H. Pendleton, Jr., Scholarship/SOM.