With family by his side, Jim peacefully passed away at 10:50pm on August 3, 2009 at the age of 67 after a short 8-month battle with cancer. Born in St. Augustine on January 12, 1942, Jim grew up in the Lakewood subdivision of the Warrington area of Pensacola. During his formative years, he was heavily involved in scouting, for which he earned the highest of scout honors, the Eagle Scout award. After graduating from Pensacola Technical High School in 1960, he served in the Navy as a bosons mate on the USS Newman K. Perry. In 1976, Jim and his wife opened a successful automotive electronics business, and many Pensacolians will remember his voice from his radio commercials, all of which started out This is Jim Fordham of Automotive Accessories An avid HAM radio enthusiast, Jim (WA4MYF) was a long time member of the Five Flags Amateur Radio Association, and he was a familiar fixture at many Field Day and Hamfest activities. Jims amateur activities eventually led to another career in the two-way communications and paging business as the owner of Total Communications. For 20 years Jim also provided the Pensacola community with the local time and temperature service. Active in Fiesta of Five Flags organization, Jim served as Padre in the 2001 Court of DeLuna, and was a charter member of Fiesta Forces. He was a member of Krewe of Lafitte and served as president of the organization in 1996. Jim participated in many other Fiesta and Mardi Gras activities, including his 97/98 role as Apollo for the Krewe of Aphrodite, and his portrayal of Henry in Fiestas dinner theatre presentations of a Henry VIII musical parody. Jim was a dedicated fisherman, and his love of fishing was reflected in his world famous collection of Garcia/Mitchell fishing reels, one of the top three collections in the world. With his passing, Pensacolas mullet will rest a little easier. Jim is preceded in death by his father James Elmer Fordham, Sr. and his mother Marie Leth Fordham. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Gaynell Linton Fordham; his daughter, Samara Fordham Sammie Rodgers and husband Harry Newman Rodgers IV; his son, James Elmer Beason Fordham, III and wife Suzanne Delmar Fordham; his sister, Pamela Fordham Smith and husband Richard Smith of Tremont City, OH; his brother, Larry Edwin Fordham, Sr. and wife Dianna Cottita Fordham of Slidell, LA; sisters-in-law, Jacqueline Cummins and Joan Hatler with her husband Larry; and the many nieces and nephews he loved dearly. Visitation will be held 5-7pm Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 9th Avenue Campus. Funeral Service will be held 11:15am Thursday, August 6, 2009 at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 9th Avenue Campus. Burial will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery. Active Pallbearers will be Larry Hatler, Michael Linton, Brian Smokey Hatler, Kevin Hatler, Rick Pierce and Carl Schepper, Jr. Honorary Pallbearers will be Hubert Williford, Roy Tumbler, Gwen Corley, Mitch Pippin, Pete Reseden and Kermit Atkins. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 5041 N. 12th Ave., Pensacola, FL 32504. HARPER-MORRIS MEMORIAL CHAPEL is in charge of arrangements.