Dr. James Stephen Spurlock

Dr. James Stephen Spurlock, 82, of Amarillo, passed peacefully on April 27, 2026.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia, from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The family will receive guests from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Hillside Christian Church Northwest Campus. 600 Tascosa Road, at 11:00 AM with Rev. Chris Condit presiding. Burial will follow at Llano Cemetery East.

Jim was born on April 13, 1944, in Denton, Texas. He graduated from North Texas State University with a degree in Biology in 1966.

He joined the UT Southwestern Medical School Class of 1970 at age 22. In a letter to classmates years ago, he wrote “the mind-expanding experience of medical school was thrilling, and is a fond memory for me (as time and life have been kind enough to fade the details of the intensity and challenges of the first two years). I will, therefore, avoid any attempt to now conjure up too many memories, for fear of remembering something better left behind. However, I will say that some of my best memories are of time spent in the Gross Anatomy laboratory. And perhaps we all owe one of our classmates an apology for one especially good laugh we shared in the lab at the expense of her cadaver.”

After graduation, he completed a one-year internship at Presbyterian Medical Center in Denver, and then began a four-year adventure in Panama, as part of the Armed Forces Physicians' Appointment and Residency Consideration Program. He cherished his memories of living and serving in the Canal Zone. He thoroughly enjoyed the culture, the lifestyle and the sumptuous tropical environment. Geographically speaking, it was certainly as close to living in Utopia as he would ever come. Life there was a welcome respite from the much more hectic routine of life in the States, and it inspired in him a life-long passion for travel and cultural exploration.

When his tour in Panama was complete, he returned to the United States as a Major in the Air Force. In 1977, he began a two-year residency in Family Medicine at the Amarillo campus of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He enjoyed the pace and potential of the city of Amarillo and decided to put down roots. For several years, he had dreamed of forming a group practice, and was thrilled to open Amarillo Family Physicians Clinic in 1979. It was his great honor to serve as President and Managing Partner of Amarillo Family Physicians Clinic from its inception to his retirement in 2017.

Under his leadership, the Clinic became the largest primary care group practice in the Panhandle, now with 13 physicians and 2 nurse practitioners. He was so proud of the Clinic, and took great pleasure in Family Medicine. He had patients who stayed with him for decades, and he felt privileged to share their lives and to later care for their children and grandchildren.

He appreciated the variety of challenges that Family Medicine brings, and he also completely enjoyed the process of growing and leading the Clinic. He was dedicated to keeping the practice fresh by regularly bringing on new doctors, some of whom were young enough to be his children and grandchildren. He loved watching the young doctors start their careers, and working side by side with them as they all learned and matured as doctors.

Beginning in 1985, managed care was ushered into Amarillo and Dr. Spurlock took on an additional role as a member of the founding Board of Directors of First Care, the first health maintenance organization in Amarillo, formed by Amarillo's High Plains Baptist Hospital in conjunction with an array of local physicians and other medical providers. He served in that role for many years and was glad to have had a voice in the manner in which managed care was designed for the Panhandle.

In 2008, he married Amelia, his partner both at home and at work. Jim and Amelia were fortunate to find time to combine work with the vigorous pursuit of their favorite pastime: travel. They traveled to all parts of the world near and far.

During his career, Dr. Spurlock always gave generously to charitable organizations in Amarillo. After he retired, he became committed to the homeless ministry at The PARC (The Panhandle Adult Rebuilding Center), where he served on the Board of Directors for many years.

Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017. He faced the challenges that Parkinson’s brought with truly admirable bravery and stoicism.

Dr. Spurlock was predeceased by his parents, Dr. James and Mrs. Ruth Spurlock, and is survived by his wife Amelia Spurlock, his two daughters Amy Spurlock and Molly (Spurlock) Ruiz, stepchildren Lisa Tyson Thieman and Scott Nelson, grandchildren Rayden Spurlock, Lucian Ruiz, Amadeo Ruiz, Nicholas Nelson and Amanda Thieman, son-in-law Mesa Ruiz and daughter-in-law Lisa O’Brien.