Tommy James

Tommy was born in Hickory, North Carolina to his parents Norman Sidney (Pinkie) James and Inez H. James on December 22, 1939. He attended Hickory High School. He married Fabiola James on August 14, 1968, in Libano, Tolima (Colombia). He graduated from Lenoir Rhyne University.

He spent 4 years in Colombia, South America in the Peace Corps. Then, he worked as a high school English teacher at South Plantation High School for 50 years where he only missed two days of school in all those years and was subsequently honored as the most reliable teacher in Broward County. He also worked as a high school basketball and football referee for 44 years. He served many of those years as the rule’s interpreter for the Broward Football Official Association.

Tommy is preceded in death by his brothers John Paul James, and Norman Richard James.

Tommy is survived by his spouse Fabiola James; his children: Oliver James and wife Alejandra of Coral Gables, FL; Adrian James of Miami, FL; his granddaughters Isabela, Penelope, Natalia, Chloe, Sienna, and Olivia.

A celebration of life memorial will be held on December 27, 2025, from 11am-1pm at Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens

2401 SW 64th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317