James F Trucks Jr.

JAMES FRANK TRUCKS, JR., of Canton, Georgia, and formerly of Birmingham, Alabama, died on February 16, 2025, of an extended illness. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 14, 1945, as the only child of Dr. James Frank Trucks, Sr., and Kathleen Gaines Pratt Trucks. He grew up as a member of Independent Presbyterian Church and the Country Club of Birmingham. He graduated at the age of 15 from Birmingham University School in 1960, where he was a member of the golf team. He attended Birmingham-Southern College, where he was a member of the golf team and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. After earning his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from BSC, he attended Cumberland School of Law and received his Juris Doctorate in 1968. He also became a member of the Alabama State Bar in 1968. He earned an L.L.M. in taxation from Washington University at St. Louis in 1969. He served in the Army Reserve in the Judge Adjutant General’s Corps during the Vietnam War. He started practice with Lange Simpson Robinson & Somerville in 1969 in Birmingham. He later worked with Scientific Games, Bally, and BABN of Canada. He wrote the Arizona lottery law and helped establish the first Russian lottery. He also was admitted to practice in the United States Tax Court and the United States Supreme Court. He was a direct descendant of Roswell King, the founder of Roswell, Georgia; Dr. Nathaniel A. Pratt, the founding minister of Roswell Presbyterian Church; and U.S. Senator Oliver Hillhouse Prince of Georgia.

He was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Sharyn Trucks; his daughters, Jacqueline Pratt Austin-Trucks (who followed in his steps and became an attorney in Alabama as well), Jamelyn Austin Trucks (spouse, Michael Stone), Jennifer Trucks, and Karen Sibilla (spouse, Tim); his stepdaughter, Kelley Adams (spouse, Donna Groover); his grandchildren, Jacqueline Mary Turner Cole, Christopher Smith Cole, Jr., Maxwell Franklin Pollock Stone, Benjamin Hood, and Mitch Sibilla; his step-grandchild, Alisha Morris; and his step-great-grandchild, Laya Wales. His service is scheduled for Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Elmwood Cemetery.