Jim was born in Baton Rouge, LA, to Rev. James (Jimmie) and Alice Stovall. As a preacher’s kid and the youngest child with three older sisters, not surprisingly, Jim had a reputation of being a mischievous child. Jim also developed an early sense of independence beyond his age perhaps due to five family moves, before he graduated from high school in Monroe, LA.
After high school graduation Jim moved to Chicago where he was an associate with the Institute of Cultural Affairs while simultaneously pursuing his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois Chicago in Criminal Justice. With the ICA Jim also spent time working in village development projects in India, Egypt and Indonesia.
Jim eventually settled in Oklahoma City and received his Master of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa. Jim devoted the balance of his career to peaceful conflict resolution, founding the Mediation Institute in 1993. taught mediation and negotiation at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City University School of Law, and the University of Central Oklahoma. He conducted mediation trainings for over 1000 individuals, including judges, attorneys, executives, as well as human resource and mental health professionals throughout Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents Rev. Jimmie and Alice Stovall of Baton Rouge, La and his sister Mary Alice Ballard of Sulphur, La. Jim leaves behind his beloved wife Kristi; daughter Julia Stovall Green of Edmond, OK; son Martin Stovall of Oklahoma City; sisters Sally Stovall and her husband Dick Alton of Oak Park, IL. and Carol Broussard and her husband Pete of Slidell, La; and two granddaughters Zoe Green and Hadley Green of Edmond. He will also be dearly missed by many cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family.
REMEMBERING JIM
After Jim attended his first RS-1 while still in high school, he joined the Order Ecumenical and served in the ICA / EI in the student house, India, Egypt, Indonesia and the US, from 1974 – 1984. More recently, in 1993, Jim founded The Mediation Institute in Oklahoma City through which he conducted family and commercial mediation and mediation training. Regards,
~~ Sally Stovall
We send our deepest sympathy to your other family members in the death of a gentle, quite achiever. Jim has left a wonderful legacy from his life work. He will be sorely missed by all those people whose lives he touched. May he be remembered for his capacity to bring mediation and peace to those he encountered. With love and in peace,
~~ Isobel Bisop
Jim joined our team in Bontoa, Indonesia in our second year there from 1981 to 1982. He was a helpful competent presence who worked well with our colleagues in the village and beyond. I was impressed that he quickly learned to say “As-Salaam-Alaikum” when he entered someone’s home in Bontoa (usually after climbing stairs barefooted and sitting cross-legged on the floor with his hosts). This greeting (translated as “peace be unto you”) set the tone for the meeting he was about to have and was standard among Muslims. Jim understood the power of honoring our hosts through language this way in Bontoa. Terry and I join Jim’s family and colleagues in celebrating his completed life with gratitude for how he cared for others.
~~. Diann and Terry McCabe
I last saw Jim when the ICA Board met in OKC 2014. I was surprised that he remembered me and our time at the ICA in Chicago. We send our deepest sympathy in the death of a simple, gentle, quite Saint of a man.
