James Earl Fuchs

Jim was born December 11, 1947 at Madonna Hospital in Denison, Texas, the much beloved and long awaited only child of James and Ima Lee.

He grew up among extended family, played with his cousins, and spent many hours in and around Lake Texoma, which unfortunately played a role in his future health journey.

He graduated from Denison High School in 1966, and he would tell you he had a good couple of years partying on two college campuses with good buddies before he settled down to the serious work of getting his education. He followed both of his parents into employment at Southwestern Bell Telephone and worked nights there while he attended school during the day.

He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Business and immediately pursued his MBA from Abilene Christian College. Concurrently while doing so, he served six years in the US Army Reserves.

Jim and Lisa met as opponents on coed bowling league teams in 1976, and following a courtship during the worst ice storm in decades and her first back surgery, they married on June 11, 1977 and had just celebrated their 47th anniversary.

Ryan was born in 1980, and from that point forward, Jim’s life had a laser focus.  He was Ryan’s first soccer coach, a sport he knew nothing about at the time, and he eventually moved into refereeing. The family spent their days at soccer tournaments or on their boat at Lake Texoma, skiing and going to eat catfish at Windy’s, always with dear friends.

When Ryan played college soccer at Hendrix, Jim made sure we were there for every game, no matter which state or how much travel was involved.

He continued his career at Southwestern Bell until the AT&T corporation was broken apart. He then worked at Bellcore and Telcordia before moving out of telecommunications into work at Billmatrix, FiServ and lastly, Capital One.

When he retired in 2015, he got his realtor’s license “to keep himself busy.”  He found a home with Century 21 Judge Fite and formed a business relationship with Sam Mehta, which was satisfying and productive for both of them.

Jim and Lisa moved to Frisco Lakes in 2012 and their neighborhood became a caring community that supported and lifted Jim…and Lisa… up through his many, and final, health struggles.  He also volunteered to pop popcorn at Scottish Rite for Children, popcorn being his 2nd favorite food after ice cream. If he couldn’t work at Braum’s, this was the next best thing.

Ryan and Saretta married in 2011, and to his joy, built their home 5 minutes away.  Jim loved being “Gdaddy” when Laila and Avery were born, and there was nothing he would not do for those two. His Friday “Treat Day”, when he took them for ice cream, was something he started when Laila was 3 and looked forward to every week.

The last year of Jim’s life was a hard one, defined by doctors and hospitals, yet his sudden death on September 6, 2024, was not expected by any of us.

He was a good, good man, a loving husband, a wonderful father and an exceptional grandfather. That he is at peace will sustain us.