03/14/2026
James Allen Keaton
James Allen Keaton, 83, of Arlington, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026. He was born on December 17, 1942, in Temple, Texas, to Homer and Helen Keaton.
Allen grew up on a dairy farm in Temple and was a lifelong athlete and sports fan who played and coached baseball and soccer, later becoming a runner, tennis player, and devoted daily walker. He loved the outdoors, caring for his lawn, spending time at the beach, and cheering for his beloved Texas Longhorns and Texas Rangers.
He attended and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin while working as an accountant’s apprentice, and he served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1969. Allen spent his career as an accountant and accountant negotiator for the federal government in Washington, D.C., and Dallas. In 1972, he and his wife, Barbara, joined First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, where they became youth sponsors and active members. After retiring, he worked as an usher for the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington.
He and his wife, Barbara, were married for 59 years and shared a loving lifetime of companionship, loyalty, deep affection, and steadfast support for one another. Together they raised two sons, Eric and Craig. Allen was a devoted husband, a very proud father, and a loyal supporter of his grandchildren and their many activities.
Allen is survived by his wife, Barbara; his sons, Eric and wife Kathryn, Craig and wife Bonnie; and his grandchildren, Mackenzie, Colin, Chloa, and Lee. He is also survived by his sister‑in‑law Cathy Keaton Calloway, his niece Megan Keaton Thompson, his sister‑in‑law Linda Ellis, and his nephew Bart Jennings. He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Helen Keaton, and his brother, Lee Black Keaton.
A service celebrating his life will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington on March 28, 2026, at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations made to Parkinson's Voice Project or Mission Arlington
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