Lasting Memories

James Robert Fuller
Sept. 16, 1945-Dec. 9, 2022
Los Altos Hills, California

Jim died peacefully at his home in Los Altos Hills, California on December 9, 2022, with his daughters at his side. He was predeceased by Patricia, his wife of 54 years, just four months earlier.

Jim was born in Geneva, Wisconsin on September 16, 1945, to Robert and Ruth Mary Fuller. He would tell anyone he was a “baby boomer” unlike his wife who was born 6 months earlier and during the war.

After his early years in Wisconsin, Jim moved to Burien, Washington when his father’s job with Northwest Airlines relocated. Jim attended Highline High School, where he was on the swim and track teams, a member of the National Honor Society, and a National Merit Scholar. In 1963, Jim received a full Navy ROTC scholarship to Stanford University. At Stanford Jim, now known as “Badger”, was the Treasurer for Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, studied for 6 months abroad in Florence, Italy, and was a member of the “Hard Core” a group that frequented the original Round Table Pizza Parlor in Menlo Park. For decades the “original” Roundtable could be located in his backyard, as it was gifted to him and Pat for their wedding. It was at the fraternity house where Jim first met Patricia “Pat” Ireland, also a student at Stanford. In 1967, Jim graduated with a physics degree.

In 1968, Jim and Pat were married in Palo Alto, California. After the wedding the two immediately moved to Mineral Wells, Texas where Jim, now a Marine Corps Lieutenant, began helicopter flight training. In 1969, Jim was deployed to Vietnam where he served with great distinction and was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross when he braved enemy fire rescuing fellow Marines in his helicopter. After one tour of duty, Jim was transferred to Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Where, in his words “a good time was had by all."

In 1973, Jim and Pat moved to Los Altos, California. Less than a year later Kimberly was born followed by Caroline. Jim earned a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford University and began a 27-year career in Aerospace with Lockheed Martin. Jim was known to amaze guests with mentions of his “top secret” clearance and was very proud of his work with “lasers” and cable television.

Upon retiring from Lockheed Martin, Jim decided to exchange “looking up at the sky for looking down at the sea” earning a Masters in Marine Biology from San Francisco State University. Declining a paycheck, Jim volunteered his time at the biogeochemistry research lab at the Estuary and Ocean Science Center in Tiburon, California. In addition to presenting his thesis work at Oceanographic conferences, he was also a guest lecturer at Santa Clara University, Dominican College, and San Francisco State University.

Jim was a dedicated and loving father to his two daughters: Kimberly and Caroline. In the early years softball was a big deal for the family and Jim threw himself in to learning the fundamentals. Jim coached for six seasons with Pat at his side and served as the President of Los Altos Hill Little League Softball. When the girls became too old for Little League, he helped to form the Los Altos Hills Express, an 18 and under fast pitch softball team. With Pat as the team’s manager, they spent their summers traveling to tournaments throughout Central and Northern California.

Jim lead the “Wilderness Family” on many adventures: the annual summer trip to Yosemite, climbing Mayan Ruins in Belize and Guatemala, viewing Haley’s Comet in Oaxaca, whitewater river rafting in Oregon and Idaho, and touring the Galapagos Islands. Some of his adventures with Pat included a cruise to Antarctica, visiting Tibet and Angkor Wat, going down under to Australia to visit their daughter, Caroline, and many a whisky distillery in Scotland.

Jim greatly enjoyed being “Papa” to his three grandsons and they enjoyed spending time with him at backyard barbeques, Stanford tailgates, and various adventures including a blimp ride out of Moffett Field, walking with Galapagos giant tortoises, rides in his red Porche, and summers in Wawona. The boys warmly recall his humor, great stories, and endless knowledge.

An avid Stanford sports fan, Jim had season tickets to football and women’s basketball. He enjoyed reading, the outdoors, and never stopped learning about the world. He was also known to have a world class whisky collection.

Jim is survived by his daughter, Caroline of London, England. His daughter, Kimberly Byers, her husband, Alex and their three sons Blake, Will and Nathan of Aptos, California. His brother, Richard Fuller of Pensacola, Florida.