James Arthur Dudley
September 12, 1951 – September 25, 2025

James Arthur Dudley (Jim) was born on September 12, 1951, in Huntington, West Virginia, to the late Glenn Dudley and JoAnn (Elkins) Boley. He passed away unexpectedly from cardiac arrest at his home in Heritage Eagle Bend, Aurora, Colorado, on September 25, 2025.

Jim is survived by his wife of 42 years, Janice Dudley; their two sons and families: Scott, Courtney and grandson Caleb James Dudley of Parker, Colorado; Elliott, Amy, and granddaughters Clara Isabelle and Colette Josephine Dudley of Moscow, Idaho. He is also survived by his brother Edward Boley and wife Angie of South Point, Ohio; brother-and-sister-in-law Stuart and Ann Deuring of Minnetonka, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Tammie Dudley of Watkinsville, Georgia; and several nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Gary Alton Dudley.

Raised in South Point, Ohio, Jim graduated from South Point High School and went on to earn his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Marshall University, followed by an MS in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University. Jim dedicated his career to The Trane Company, starting in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he met Jan, also a Trane marketing engineer. They married in La Crosse in 1983 and welcomed their first son, Scott, in 1984. In 1985, they moved to Shoreview, Minnesota, where their second son, Elliott, was born.

In 1987, Jim was honored to become the start-up plant manager for the Trane commercial water chiller plant in Pueblo, Colorado, where the family would reside for 23 years. Throughout his career, he developed numerous lifelong friendships and was active in community pursuits, including the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation, Parkview Hospital, Pueblo Housing Authority and NeighborWorks, the Colorado Mile High Clam and Lobster Club, Pueblo Investment Group Stocks, and the Pueblo Country Club. While his career required travel worldwide away from his family, he was devoted to being the best father and partner possible.

Following his retirement in 2003, Jim embraced recreational activities, including bicycling, golfing, and skiing with Jan. Together, they cycled across Iowa with RAGBRAI friends and toured the US, France, and Italy with the Bicycle Adventure Club. They biked several Rails to Trails routes and mountain bike trails in Colorado and Moab. Jim and Jan shared a love for golf, prioritized visits to US National Parks, and explored destinations such as Alaska, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. The family began skiing together at Monarch Mountain when the boys were three years old and later made their home in Silverthorne, Colorado, to be near world-class ski resorts.

They skied advanced terrain with the Copper Mountain Over the Hill Gang and experienced a heli-skiing trip in Canada. Additionally, they adventured with the Colorado Mountain Club, enjoying winter hut trips, the Commando Run, backpacking the Virgin River Narrows at Zion National Park, and hiking in Utah’s Goblin Valley. Together, they skied, camped, hiked, backpacked, and rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon twice, creating lasting memories.

In recent years, Jim faced increasing back pain that limited his activities. On August 28, 2025, he underwent extensive spinal fusion surgery (L2-S1) in hopes of finding relief and returning to his beloved pursuits. Working through complications during recovery, Jim was making progress with his rehabilitation at home when his life was tragically cut short by cardiac arrest, just four weeks after surgery.

Jim was a gentle giant with a big heart, known for his friendly nature and fun-loving spirit. An avid OSU Buckeye fan, he was affectionately known as “The Ambassador” and “Jimmy Bobby” among his friends. May our Jimmy Bobby live on in the hearts and memories of those who knew and loved him.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Summit County on November 16th, 2025, from noon to 2 PM at the Silverthorne Pavilion, 400 Blue River Parkway, Silverthorne, CO 80498; mountain casual attire is encouraged.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Summit Foundation (https://summitfoundation.org/) or the Rails to Trails Conservancy (https://www.railstotrails.org).
Arrangements have been entrusted to Parker Funeral Home, Inc. & Crematory. Condolences and sentiments may be shared at http://www.pfh-co.com.