Obituary of James Jay Bobo

From his earliest years, Jim Bobo felt a call to serve God. His formative years of faith were spent singing in the youth and adult choirs at Fort Worth’s Sagamore Hill Baptist Church, where he made lifelong friends and built a foundation for future ministry. Following a desire to do overseas mission work, he became a Southern Baptist Journeyman in 1967 to Da Nang, Vietnam, where he lived through the Tet Offensive and braved nightly bombings while ministering to those whose lives were shattered by war. He returned to the U.S., where he met and married Linda Stansberry in 1973. Together, they lived and worked as Southern Baptist missionaries in Da Lat, Vietnam, before being forced to evacuate immediately prior to the fall of Saigon. They were reassigned to Hong Kong, and Jim became fluent in Cantonese and opened multiple Christian bookstores in Hong Kong and Macau. He and Linda had two children, Robert and Rhandi, whom they raised in Hong Kong and then Tokyo, Japan, before returning to the U.S. A member of Eastern Hills High School’s first graduating class and a Texas Wesleyan University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate, Jim’s career also included teaching, church planting, and even managing a retirement community before settling in insurance. He was also a member at Christ Chapel Bible Church, where he loved singing in the choir and performing in musicals. He knew Jesus Christ as his savior and sought to walk with Him daily. Jim treasured his Friday night dinner group, listening to Christian music, Joe T. Garcia’s, and following the Baylor Bears. But his children were the greatest joy of his life. Jim is preceded in death by his mother, Marie S. Green, stepfather, Smith L. Green, and father, Dee Bobo. He is survived by his wife, Linda, children, Robert Preston Bobo and Rhandi Lin Bobo, adopted family member, Betty Hueng Lee, and his older brother, John Bobo. In lieu of funeral services due to COVID-19, the family asks that if you wish to honor Jim’s memory gifts be made to either the Christ Chapel Bible Church Music Ministry or Buckner International. And if you would like to share your favorite memories of Jim with his family, please email jbobohk@gmail.com.