James K. Fulks Jr. ’53

James was born in Detroit, Mich., and came to Princeton from Culver Military Academy. He joined Elm Club, majored in geology, and wrote his senior thesis on “Sedimentary Aspects of Green River Oil Shale.” He served in the Army after graduation and was stationed in Germany.  

Jim married before his military service and returned after his service to Detroit with his wife, where she died of an aneurysm after giving birth to twin daughters. He then moved to Utah, where his mother-in-law helped raise the children. He married again in 1960.  

Jim worked for mining companies in management positions mostly in the Salt Lake City area in Utah, but for 11 years in Los Gatos, Calif. Jim was also deeply involved in the Mormon Church and served in leadership positions and as a bishop for a number of years. In retirement, he spent much of his time repairing clocks and “fixing everything in sight.”  

He died June 28, 2020, in his home after a five-month battle with multiple myeloma. He is survived by his wife, Donna; eight children; 27 grandchildren; and 41 great-grandchildren.