James “Jim” Lawrence Fagg was born Nov. 27, 1944, at Terre Haute, to Cecil “Squire” and Margaret Fagg. He died peacefully June 1, 2023, at Ben Hur Nursing Home, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him.
Jim was a loyal and loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, student, co-worker, teacher and mentor. He was married 56 years to his wife Nancy.
He is survived by his wife Nancy Fagg; daughters, Michele (Mark) Hennessey and Kerry (Kenny) Luchetta; sons, Jeff (Elizabeth) Flagg and Tim Flagg; brother Reay (Julie) Fagg, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Mike and Phyllis Roecker; and grandkids, Anthony Chamberlain, Allison (Andre) Hennessey-Parent, Meghan Hennessey, Sarah Henessey, Patrick Hennessey, Ashton Johnson, Nathan Hennessey, Grace Hennessey and Madaline Luchetta; several nieces and nephews; and his beloved cat Sophie.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his brother and sister-in-law Bill and Marianne Fagg and his brother and sister-in-law Gene and Becky Reagin.
He graduated from Garfield High School in Terre Haute and went on to receive his teaching degree from Indiana State University and his master’s in education from DePauw University.
He taught for 33 years, the majority of that time in the North Montgomery School System. He started his career in that school system at Mt. Zion Elementary School teaching fourth and fifth grade and ended his career teaching the same at Pleasant Hill Elementary. In between he taught physical education for many years at Sommer, Pleasant Hill and Sugar Creek elementaries and spent a couple years teaching various subjects at Northridge Middle School. In his early teaching career he was also a successful and well liked basketball and baseball coach. Many of his former students still come up to family members and express their admiration for him as a teacher and mentor and many of them sighted him as a favorite teacher.
Jim was a proud member of St. Bernards Catholic Church, where he was a Eucharistic minister and member of the Knights of Columbus. He volunteered year after year for the Special Olympics and the Tootsie Roll Drive.
Students, co-workers, friends, family, grandkids, children and his wife Nancy knew Jim to be a selfless, hard-working, loyal and loving man with a big heart and a proclivity for adventure and occasional orneriness; always with a big smile, laugh, and something interesting to say. He never met a stranger.
Visitation will be held 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, with the rosary at 7:45 p.m. at Burkhart Funeral Home. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 8 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Crawfordsville.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Special Olympics or charity of their choice in honor of Jim Fagg.
A memorial photo album can be found at https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B105CmvASJG4Npi/.
