James William Follum was born on February 15, 1936, in Spearfish, SD to Willis Arnold Follum and Hazel Florence Calvin. In 1969, he met and married the love of his life, Carol Lane. They shared 53 years of marriage.
James retired from the Navy CBs in 1974 after 20 years of service and two tours in Vietnam. Some of his commendations were: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation {Gallantry Cross}, Army Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal {second}, Expert Rifleman {First)}. He enjoyed traveling the world and many of the states. He moved his family from Port Hueneme, CA back to Douglas, WY where he worked with his brother Willis poring cement foundations and surveying. His next move was to Spearfish, SD where he worked at the gold mine as an electrician. Snowshoeing the lines in the Black Hills was very challenging. He moved again to Sturgis, SD when his bother Roy found a laundromat for sale. Jim enjoyed fixing it up and built a car wash beside it. Mold allergies drove him back to Douglas, where he was an electrician for NERCO until an injury disabled him. He moved to Arizona for his mother's health. After her death he returned to Douglas and began trucking. Shortly, after he moved the family to Indiana so that they could be together.
Upon retiring he loved to snowbird in Arizona and New Mexico, then spending the summers in Wyoming or South Dakota. Often traveling with his two brothers and their wives. Jim and Carol settled down so that his wife could care for her mother Minnie. His loving family all helped so that his last few years struggling with dementia he was able to be at home.
He was preceded in death by his siblings Roy Follum (Nadine) and Lillian Joslin (Paul) and nephew Bobby Follum. James is survived by his loving wife Carol, brother Willis (Lynn), daughters Chirstena and Briana (Albert), sons Shay (Cheri), Aaron (Cheyenne), Ryan (Ashley), and James Cook (Betty), and grandchildren Coty, Brittany, Siaha, Jaimie, Tally, Coleen, Silene, Temperance, Abby, Serenity, and Brodie, and great grandchildren Lucy, Ansen, and Clara, and numerous nieces and nephews. A Navy Honors Service will be held at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, SD on August 26th at 11:30 AM