James Work Fullilove, affectionately known as Jim, passed away on August 3, 2025, at the age of 77.

Jim lived a life most people only dream of—adventurous, creative, and full of love.

From a young age, Jim was drawn to adventure. He was a fearless skydiver—owning his own parachute and jumping hundreds of times—and a passionate scuba diver and sailor. He was a cross between James Dean, James Bond and MacGyver and with his creative handyman skills and carpentry, he could make or fix almost anything. But his love of journalism would eventually influence a long and meaningful career in publishing.

Jim was born in Mount Vernon, New York, Nov. 8, 1947, the second son of Henry Earl and Martha Thistle Fullilove, and younger brother to John Thistle. The family moved around New York before settling in Greenwich, Connecticut, where Jim's lifelong love for speed and thrills truly took hold. He rode motorcycles (including a classic Triumph and his beloved Indian) and drove sports cars (including his Lotus). In his mid-60s he fulfilled his dream of owning a Superformance Shelby Cobra replica. Ever the smooth talker—and always on the lookout for a deal—he convinced his brother to buy one too, effectively getting his dream car at a discount!

Jim inherited both grit and wit from his father, a Hall of Fame football player at Georgetown University who was drafted by the Washington Redskins. Jim himself was a talented football player, but a knee injury in high school ended his playing career and, coincidentally, kept him out of the draft during the Vietnam War.

He was a gifted writer and graduate of the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Even as a student, Jim had a savvy business mind. He persuaded his parents to buy him a house near campus, rented out rooms to cover costs, and sold the home at a profit after graduation. With the proceeds, he restored a beat up van and drove it cross-country to Venice, California, eventually settling in the legendary bohemian enclave of Topanga Canyon, where he lived with friends in a converted church.

After a few years out west, Jim returned to Connecticut. A stint as an equipment operator and house carpenter, paired with a natural knack for storytelling, led him to an editor role at Engineering News Record (ENR) in New York City. While he loved the writing, the daily commute into the city eventually wore him down. So Jim came up with a plan. He decided he’d keep driving north until he “didn’t see another New York license plate.” That journey led him to Camden, Maine—and the start of a career with National Fisherman magazine, where he would serve as editor for over 18 years.

Jim became a strong advocate for commercial fishermen, and in the late 1990s served as national coordinator of Seafood for America, a coalition focused on protecting the livelihoods of working fishermen and consumers’ rights to seafood. An article he wrote in 1987 was considered so insightful that it was still being referenced and reprinted in National Fisherman as recently as January 2025.

For more than 40 years, Jim worked as senior editor of several respected international trade journals, including National Fisherman, WorkBoat Magazine, and Marine Electronics Journal. So dedicated was he to his craft that even after several rounds of chemotherapy, he feverishly met his final deadline at Marine Electronics Journal.

Jim was charming, sharp, hilariously witty, strong, generous, and thoughtful. He had a crinkly-eyed smile and a mischievous sense of humor. At his brother’s 1969 wedding, Jim—then the best man—painted the bottoms of the groom’s shoes with the phrase, “It’s all over now!” The message revealed itself during the ceremony as the couple knelt in prayer, drawing unexpected—and unforgettable—laughter.

Jim’s energy was legendary. Family often joked he lacked the "sitting-still gene." He would respond, “ Work is my middle name!” And while he worked hard, he also enjoyed himself —often with a martini in hand and his wife Jeanne by his side.

A lover of language, Jim was not only a master of English, but also a devoted user of a particular word invented by his father: pedievient—as defined as "something that is pedievient, or having pedievience." The term became a beloved inside joke and even adorned matching family T-shirts at reunions.

At the most recent Fullilove reunion, held on July 19 at his daughter’s farm in Connecticut, Jim made a Herculean effort to attend despite his declining health. Wearing his “pedievient” shirt, he chatted, posed for photos, and even joined the family drum circle. Two weeks later, on that same porch overlooking the family’s horse pasture, Jim passed peacefully, in the most pedievient way.

He is survived by his cherished wife of 42 years, Jeanne Parker Fullilove, of Florida and Connecticut; his children Jason Fullilove and wife Crystal of Maine, Eric Fullilove and wife Genevieve of Maine, and Caroline Fullilove Bridgewater and husband David of Connecticut; his six adored grandsons, Ethan, Logan, Alexander, Wesley, Colton, and Parker, all of whom lovingly adored him in return; his extended family includes cousins and an aunt in the D.C. area, a niece, nephew, and sister-in-law in Connecticut.

He was predeceased by his parents, Henry Earl and Martha Thistle Fullilove, and his brother, John Thistle Fullilove.

A celebration of his life is currently being planned.  

Montano-Shea Funeral Home, 5 Steele Road, New Hartford has care of the arrangements. Visit an online guestbook at montano-shea.com.