Judge Mixon, 72, who sat on the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas, passed away at his Little Rock home on March 10, 2014.
According to ArkansasMatters.Com, Little Rock Police say paramedics were called to Mixon’s home just before 5 a.m. after his wife found him unconscious in bed. Mixon had been suffering from bronchitis, and also took medication for high blood pressure and diabetes.
Judge Mixon had retired in 2006 but continued to serve the court on recall status.
Judge Mixon was not only a beloved jurist but a common comment made of Judge Mixon was that he was a ‘mentor.’ Chapter 13 Trustee Jack Gooding noted:
“Judge Mixon’s recent passing has left the Arkansas Bankruptcy Bar in shock. As a debtor’s attorney for over 20 years, I had the pleasure of trying a number of cases before Judge Mixon, prior to my appointment as Chapter 13 Trustee. He was always fair, impartial and always concerned with the result. The Arkansas Bar and I lost a longtime judge, leader, mentor and friend. He was a true Arkansas fan and had a never ending stream of Texas Longhorn jokes, as a Justice of the Texas Supreme Court found out when I introduced them several years back. Justice Willett finally turned to me and asked, “can you get me out of here?”
He is already missed.”
As reported in the Daily Record, The Honorable U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge was born on Aug. 27, 1941 in Helena, AR. “Jim” attended the University of Central Arkansas before graduating from the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville in 1968. He served for two years in the Navy. Jim was admitted to the Bar in August 1968 and served one year as a law clerk to the Hon. John Fogelman on the Arkansas Supreme Court. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney from June 1969 until Feb. 1973. Following the advice of Judge Fogleman, he left the U. S. Attorney’s office in 1973 and practiced in Bentonville until 1984.
Phyllis M. Jones, Esq., of Lax, Vaughan, Fortson, Jones & Rowe, P.A. tributes just Mixon this way:
“Judge Mixon will be remembered by the Arkansas bar not only as a great jurist who loved the law and the legal profession but he will also be remembered by many as a true mentor and friend.
Judge Mixon always said he wanted to be on the bench until the day he died. He got his wish. I prefer to think of his court as just being in recess. He will truly be missed by many.”
He was appointed a Chapter 7 Panel trustee in 1980 and served until he was appointed U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts in 1984. He served as the court’s chief judge from Feb. 1, 1993 to Dec. 31, 2002. He retired in 2006, though he served as a recall bankruptcy judge and carried a full caseload. His career and enduring legacy on the bench spanned 30 years in Little Rock.
He was a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Debtor/Creditor Bar Association, and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges. He was awarded an Ike Scott Fellowship in 2012, of which he was enormously proud.
It is fair to say that everyone loved Jimmy Mixon. He was a thoughtful caring, giving, individual who rarely found fault in anyone. His love for family and travel (especially train travel) is well known by all.
He leaves his loving wife of 15 years, Robbie Hester Mixon; his five children, Cab (Kelly) Craig, Christie (Roger) Gildehaus, Polk (Ginger) Craig, Courtney Payton, Erin (James) Whitt; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Gail McCracken and Sara Lee McPhillips of Houston; and a niece, Sara Rhem of Lansing, Mich.
Read more: http://www.helena-arkansas.com/article/20140313/News/140319758#ixzz2vx9onLW2
