James Ray Wren

ARLINGTON, Texas – Lampasas, Texas-native James Ray Wren (Sr.), 65, – a railroad worker for 40 years, father of four children and a Christian – died here peacefully Sunday, July 29, from an extremely aggressive type of early-onset dementia.             Funeral services for Mr. Wren will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, in Sneed Funeral Chapel in Lampasas. An informal family visitation will precede the service. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery in Lampasas.             With only minor memory challenges, Mr. Wren had been suffering from the dementia disease for more than two years. He was residing under hospice care in Arlington Residence and Rehabilitation Center at the time of his death and had previously lived in a Lampasas nursing home.             Mr. Wren was born Nov. 3, 1952, in Rollins-Brook Hospital in Lampasas, to Johnnie Mae Lunsford Wren and Worth S. Wren Sr. James R. Wren’s Christian conversion came as a young teen-ager; he was a Baptist but embraced other denominations as well, attending churches across several states. “Heaven gained another angel today,” one of Mr. Wren’s cousins said. Other cousins and friends remembered Mr. Wren as “always so sweet” and “a kind and wonderful person, always checking on us. . . loved his visits.” Another cousin said: “I have a special place in my heart for James.” Mr. Wren loved his children and family reunions. “He helped us find our way, and we loved to go camping, fishing,” his youngest son, Christopher Wren, said. “He was there for us,” said Michael Wren, another of his three sons, also recalling camping, movie going and a trip to Six Flags Over Texas. “James was the quiet one in our family of four siblings; he was the extra good son,” said Worth Wren Jr., Mr. Wren’s older brother.             After attending Lampasas public schools, Mr. Wren graduated from San Angelo Central High School in 1971. He later completed a bachelor’s degree in education at Angelo State University.             Mr. Wren, however, chose to follow his father’s career path into railroad maintenance-of-way work and joined the Santa Fe Railway Co. He stayed on with the company after it was merged into the Burlington Northern Railway Co. With the Santa Fe and the BNSF, Mr. Wren worked variously as a machine operator, truck driver and trackman and sometimes in all three roles on railroad/track tie, rail, section and other crews at numerous locations across Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma and other states. During his career, he resided in several cities, including San Angelo and Stephenville. On Sept. 1, 2016, during medical leave, Mr. Wren retired from the BNSF. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his four children: son James R. “Jamie” Wren (Jr.) of Dallas; daughter Jennifer Wren White and her husband, Michael White, of Royce City; son Michael Wren of San Angelo; and son Christopher Wren of San Angelo; _two grandchildren: Bryce and McKenzie White of Royce City; _three siblings: brother Worth Wren Jr. of Fort Worth; sister Ann Wren Harmon of Kempner; and brother Carl Wren of Manchaca, TX; _five nieces and nephews; three grand nephews; and many other relatives.