James O. (Jim) Pirtle, 79, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 24, 2015 in Tulsa, OK.

Jim was born on July 27, 1936, to Lewis and June (Hall) Pirtle of McAlester, Oklahoma. As a child, his family moved to Wilburton, OK, where he graduated from high school in 1954. Jim attended Cameron Junior College (now Cameron University) in Lawton, OK before transferring to University of Tulsa where he played quarterback for the Hurricanes. In 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, Anna Doris (Cocke) Pirtle of Wilburton. After graduating from TU, Jim began his career as a football coach and teacher, attending Eastern New Mexico University during the summer months to obtain his master's degree in science. In 1966, Jim began working for Wausau Insurance in Little Rock, AR, and over the next decades, he worked as an insurance agent/agency owner in Warren, AR; Fordyce, AR, and Milwaukee, WI. He returned to coaching in 1986, serving as head football coach in both Gladewater and Collinsville, TX. A few years later, Jim returned to the insurance industry where he worked at Tedford Insurance in Jenks, OK, until his retirement in 2009.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Ricky.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Anna Doris, and their children Jaime Bruntzel of Tulsa, Jay Pirtle (Tracy) of Tyler, TX, and Janna Wilson of Birmingham, MI; his sisters Karen Ford (Roy), Marcy Severson (Dick) and Robbie Burnett (Lafe); his grandchildren Katie Shults, Drew Pirtle, Sam Wilson, Sarah Bruntzel, Lucy Wilson, Megan Pirtle and David Pirtle, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2015 at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 3612 E. 91st Street South, Tulsa, OK.

918-291-3500