Bruce Howard James, age 65, of Centennial, Colorado, passed away on Monday, May 14, 2018. Bruce was born July 7, 1952. He is preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Joann Marie; his father, Robert Anderson James and his mother, Zoe Adams. Bruce is survived by his children, Benjamin Worthy, with his wife Lei, who reside in Hong Kong, Annette Zoe, with her husband, Joshua Dahl, who reside in Troy, Michigan, and Erin Claire, with her husband, Michael Christofferson, who reside in Highlands Ranch, Colorado; 12 grandchildren: Savanah, Aubrianna, Ingrid, Dillon, Alex, Isabella, Paul, Elizabeth, Nathan, Charles, Bryson and William; his brothers, Robert Adams (Linda), Keith Burton (Beth), Russell Curtis (Kathy), and Neal Kemble; his sister, Susan Jensen (Gary); and other loving family and friends.
Bruce was born in Malad, Idaho, and when he was young his family moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah, where he grew up. Upon graduating high school, he served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South East Mexico (Veracruz), and throughout his life he loved finding opportunities to use his Spanish skills. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University, where he studied geology, after which he began working as a geologist in Denver, Colorado, where he met his sweetheart, Joann. The two were married in the Provo, Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on December 15, 1978. After marriage they moved to Midland, Texas, where Benjamin and Annette were born, and then moved back to Denver in 1982, where Claire was born and they would reside for the rest of their lives.
The son of a farmer, Bruce loved to work hard and play hard. In the mid-1980s Bruce changed careers and began selling insurance, establishing a successful independent agency that he ran for nearly 30 years. When not working, he enjoyed exploring the Colorado mountains with his family and he climbed 37 of the state’s 14,000-foot mountains, most of them with one of his children by his side. In 2008, at the age of 56, he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. He also loved playing tennis, the piano, and with his grandchildren. Every year he maintained a bountiful garden in his backyard, and took pride in growing and sharing carrots, corn, beans, squash and a variety of other produce with friends and family. Bruce served in a number of responsibilities in his church, though his favorite calling was always that of a home teacher.
During the last 10 months of his life, Bruce struggled to recover from a traumatic brain injury he suffered while on a bike ride with his family. But with his sweetheart at his side he worked every day through pain and frustrations to improve. Only two weeks after her unexpected passing, they were reunited on the other side of mortality where they hand-in-hand continue their eternity.
A Visitation for Bruce will be held Friday, May 18, 2018 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 South Colorado Blvd, Centennial, Colorado. A Funeral service will begin at 1:00 pm, Saturday, May 19, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6061 S Havana St, Englewood, Colorado, immediately followed by a Committal service at 3 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, for those wishing to send condolences, please consider a donation in his name to the Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who operates LDS Charities and provides aid to people around the world without regard to cultural or religious affiliation.
Donations can be sent to:
LDS Philanthropies/Humanitarian Aid
1450 N. University Ave.
Provo, UT 84604
or can be made online: https://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the James family.
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