James Phillip Traughber

Dr. James Phillip Traughber, 82 years of age, passed away on Thursday, February 27, 2020 in Houston, TX surrounded by family and friends. Phillip was born in McAlester, Oklahoma on August 1, 1937 to Lawrence Oran and Jimmie Edith Smyth Traughber. He graduated from Savanna High School in 1955 and from Murray State College in 1957. He completed his Bachelor's degree at East Central State College in 1963 and taught science at Cutler Academy in Vermont and Cascia Hall in Tulsa. After completing a Master's degree in science education, he was a high school principal in Kansas. Upon completing a Doctorate of Education at Oklahoma State University, Phillip became Director of Planning and Development at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska and finally Vice President of Academic Affairs at Murray State College in Oklahoma where he retired in 2000. Phillip is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Lawrence Duanne Traughber. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy June Bishop in McAlester, Oklahoma whom he married March 2, 1962. They had three children: Andrea Traughber Johnson (and husband John), Glenn Phillip Traughber and Vanessa Traughber Surber (and husband Aaron). They were proud grandparents of Delaney Johnson, Olivia Johnson, Vivienne Surber and Violet Surber all of Houston, Texas. Other survivors include his sister, Sydney Traughber Miller, sister-in-law Ruth Traughber, brother-in-law Earl Bishop and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 6, 2020 at The Woodlands First Baptist Church, 11801 Grogans Mill Rd, The Woodlands, Texas 77380 from 10:00 am until 11:00 am. A service of remembrance will follow the visitation at 11:00 am. We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:8.