James "Jim" William Engelbrecht lived a life filled with generosity, good fun, and flamingos.  On Thursday, May 27, 2021, he ended his courageous battle with cancer at the age of 73, surrounded by his family at his home in Denton.

Jim was born on June 10, 1947, in Washington, MO, to Martin and Viola (Bossaller) Engelbrecht.  He served in the United States Army, is a veteran of the Vietnam war, and completed his military service in the Army Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel.  Jim earned his MBA at Northwest Missouri State University and continued graduate study at Oklahoma State University.  He taught at Northwest Missouri State University, the University of North Texas, and worked for many years as an insurance agent.

Jim married Jo Ann Dale on June 23, 1973, in Elk City, OK.  They moved often before arriving in Denton, TX, in 1982.  Jim was active in the First United Methodist Church and found great joy and satisfaction in serving his community. He was Chair of the Denton Planning and Zoning Commission, served three terms on the Denton City Council, and was president of the noon Rotary club. He gave his time and energy to many other boards, commissions, and community projects in his beloved city of Denton.

Jim is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Engelbrecht of Denton; daughter, Jennifer Engelbrecht of Denton; son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter Jonathan, Jessica, and Isabel Ann Engelbrecht of Tulsa, OK; brother and sister-in-law, William "Bill" and Madeline Engelbrecht of Blue Springs, MO, and niece Casey Engelbrecht of Moberly, MO.

In the words of a friend, "he will be missed by so many, but his legacy lives on in the lives of all that he touched."

**Jim's life will be celebrated at 11:00 am, Friday, June 18, at the First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Locust St., Denton, TX 76201.**

Memorial donations may be made to the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County, 1854 Cain Dr, Lewisville, TX 75077; Denton County Friends of the Family, P.O. Box 640, Denton, TX 76202-0640; First United Methodist Church of Denton – Children's Ministries, 201 Locust Street, Denton, TX 76201, or the charity of your choice.