Ada, OK - Services for James "Jim" Franklin Herndon, 89, of Ada are at 2:00pm Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the First Methodist Church, Rev. Brian Matthews officiating.

Jim passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2025 while at home surrounded by his family. He was born on December 17, 1935 in Ada, OK to John Renfro Herndon and Likie Evalyn Wauson Herndon. Jim graduated from Ada High School in 1953 and attended East Central University. He entered the United States Army in 1955 and received an Honorable Discharge in 1957 as a Specialist. Jim later attended Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, MO where he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1959 followed by a Master's Degree in Mathematics from the University of Oklahoma in 1961.

Jim married the love of his life, Janice Warren Herndon in 1959 in LaRussell, Missouri. They celebrated 60 years of marriage before Janice's passing in 2019. Following Jim's graduation from OU, they resided in Oklahoma City where Jim worked for IBM until 1966. Jim and Janice and their three children moved to Ada in 1966 where Jim took a teaching position at East Central University when the school was starting its Computer Science Department. Jim taught Computer Science and Math until his retirement in 1998. Jim also coached the East Central Men's Golf team for a number of years.

Jim was a member of the First United Methodist Church and was active in the Homebuilders Sunday School Class, which was very important and instrumental in his life. In Jim's retirement, volunteer work was important to him and he headed up the local Meals on Wheels in Ada for many years, volunteered at Pontotoc Ridge Nature Conservancy Preserve and most of all, his love for helping first graders with reading at Hayes Elementary.

Jim had many hobbies during his lifetime, including a love for flying, enjoyment of the outdoors and fishing, playing bridge, working his pecan orchard, but most of all, playing golf with his friends at Oak Hills Golf & Country Club. Jim was a long-time member of Oak Hills and was instrumental in helping the Club during construction of the expansion of the course from 9 to 18 holes.

Jim is survived by two sons, John Herndon and wife Carla, Coeur d'Alene, ID and Mark Herndon and wife Kelly, Norman; a daughter, Cynthia Herndon, Tulsa; grandchildren, Samuel Herndon, Benjamin Herndon, Morgan Watson and Jadrian Hammon; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Honorary Bearers are Dr. Bill Chapman, Ed Anderson, David Schallhorn, Steve Cody and Duane Murray. The family requests those who wish may make memorials to the First Methodist Church Foundation, P.O. Box 566, Ada, OK 74821, or a charity of your choice.