James Edward Wheat passed from this life on October 7, 2024. He was born on March 29, 1949 to James Roland & Elizabeth Comstock Wheat. Jim grew up on the Wheat Ranch near Higgins, Texas and graduated from Higgins High School in the class of 1967. Following high school, Jim attended West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas. He also went to Hotel Management School and held several positions as hotel manager. In his earlier years, Jim was a very talented pianist and enjoyed sewing. He also worked on the ranch with his dad, working cattle & hauling hay. Jim had deep family roots in the Higgins area. His great-grandfather, Alfred M. Wheat, was a buffalo hunter in the Texas Panhandle in the 1850's. His grandfather, James Washington Wheat, was kidnapped by renegade Indians when he was 2 years old, and sometime later, was returned, dressed in beads & moccasins and was exchanged for two sacks of flour! This pioneer family raised cattle and owned the AM Mercantile in Higgins in the early 1900's and also a saloon in Grand, Indian Territory. His dad, Roland was a B-17 pilot during World War II, and completed 32 missions. Jim was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his good friends, Tom Zenor, Toby Gilmer & many others.

Graveside services will be held Friday, October 11, 2024, at 4:00 PM at the Higgins Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Higgins Cemetery, c/o Shaw Funeral Home, PO Box 276, Vici, OK 73859.