JAMES N. THURBER, 71, FROM MIDDLEBURY, IN PASSED AWAY JUNE 29TH, 2026 AFTER A 6 ½ MONTH BATTLE.  HE WAS BORN JULY 27, 1954, IN DENVER, CO.  HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE JUDY (LAPLACE) THURBER OF 33 YEARS.  ALONG WITH 4 SISTERS, JANE DVORAK (KEN) OF COLORADO, LORI NELSON (JEFF) OF COLORADO, MARLA RAPLEY (ANDREW) OF SOUTH CAROLINA, PAULA DECRENSCENTIS OF COLORADO AND DAUGHTER SAMANTHA THURBER. 2 STEPDAUGHTERS CINDY ROZMARYNOWSKI (BRYAN) OF GRANGER, IN AND CARRIE MCCAVITT OF SHIPSHEWANA, IN.  4 GRANDSONS AND SEVERAL GREAT GRAND CHILDREN AND MANY NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS MOTHER MARILYN CHALFANT THURBER AND FATHER JAMES L. THURBER OF COLORADO AND HIS STEPMOTHER DOROTHY THURBER WHO RAISED HIM FROM A SMALL CHILD.

JAMES SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY DURING THE VIETNAM ERA AND WAS HONORABLE DISCHARGED IN 1978.  HE WAS A CAR SALESMAN FOR MANY YEARS IN THE LOCAL AREA.  AFTER RETIRING FROM CAR SALES, JAMES AND HIS WIFE JUDY OPENED AN ANTIQUE STORE IN SHIPSHEWANA WHERE THEY BOTH RETIRED AFTER 14 YEARS.

HE LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, HE LOVED FISHING, MUSIC, AND SINGING.  HIS LOVE FOR DOGS WAS MEASURED BY HOW MANY “COOKIES” HE COULD GET AWAY WITH GIVING THEM.

THERE WILL BE NO SERVICE LOCALLY, HIS WISHES WERE TO BE CREAMATED THEN PLACED AT FT. LOGAN MILITARY CEMETARY IN COLORADO.  THE SERVICE WILL TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2026 IN COLORADO.

Elkhart Cremation Services has been entrusted with his care.