“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our Vice President James Stout,” the Center Point Area Historical Preservation Association said via Facebook on Tuesday, August 4. “James was a kind, talented, gentle man who cared deeply for his community and would help anyone who needed assistance.”
The post also urged the community to keep Kim Oliver — Stout’s wife, according to his father Don Stout’s 2016 obituary — in prayer as she seemingly recovers from what appears to have been a car crash that occurred in recent days.
Stout was known widely across the community, both as vice president of the unincorporated town’s historical preservation association and as the head distiller at Hill Country Spirits, formerly known as Hill Country Distillers.
Members of the Center Point and Kerr County communities flooded the social media posts’ comment section, reacting to the local businessman’s death.
“This is so shocking and heartbreaking to hear such a wonderful man will be missed. Kim you and your family will be in my prayers,” wrote Facebook user Audrey Rich.
Kerr County Commissioner Rich Paces, who also knew the Center Point community leader, wrote, “It was devastating news. Our prayers are with Kim who was injured in the accident and had to be hospitalized.”
Others said that Stout’s death “leaves a huge hole in the heart” of those who knew him.
‘He will be greatly missed,” the Center Point Area Historical Preservation Association said.
Stout’s longtime friend and former employer Cayce Kovacs also shared with MySA that Stout was known community wide as reliable, often connecting with newcomers, and helping others at the drop of a hat.
She and her husband often vacationed with Stout and his wife. “He’s just going to be terribly missed,” she said.“James is just the kind of guy that’s going to help anybody out that needs it. People just know they can depend on him.”
Kovacs shared that Stout was involved in a crash in an off-road vehicle in Colorado this past Monday with his wife and another couple. Though exact details on what happened are limited, both James and another man were killed in the incident.
“It’s a terrible shock, and a terrible loss to a very small community… there’s just no words.”