James "Jim" E. Babers

James (Jim) E. Babers, a resident of El Paso, Texas, passed away on Sunday, June 25, 2023. He was born on August 25, 1933, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, to Lucretia and Joshua Melton Babers. His father died at the age of 26 from an accident. Five years later his mother married Clyde L. Wells. Jim attended and graduated from Texas Western College (later UTEP) in 1956. He was a starter for the UTEP basketball team all four years. He made the “21 UTEP Miners” who scored at least 1,000 points, ranked by their career field goal percentage. He was also a starter on the Army basketball team. After completing his tour of duty with the U.S. Army, he was employed with the El Paso National Gas Company until he retired.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lucretia Babers Wells; father, Joshua M. Babers; step-father, Clyde L. Wells; and brother, Charles T. Babers.

Survivors include brothers, General Donald M. Babers (Ret.) and wife, Marilyn, of Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Marvin L. Wells and wife, Roxie, of New Braunfels; sister, Lucretia Wells Carmichael and husband, Luther, of Fort Worth, Texas, and sister-in-law, Nawana Babers of Tucson, Arizona.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Royal Estates of El Paso, 435 S. Mesa Hills Drive, El Paso, Texas 79912.