Alfred "Fred" James, III

Alfred “Fred” James III was born September 12, 1929 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The oldest of four boys, he went on to graduate from The University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Geology. While at college, he developed his love for music and his talent for playing the trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, and valve trombone. During these years he formed - and performed with - the legendary Wisconsin Dixieland band, The RiverBoat Rascals. Music remained a passion throughout his life. More than a hobby - more of a kind of second career - he played countless shows in nightclubs, jazz bars, festivals, and concert stages for over five decades. Fred counted meeting Louis Armstrong as a highlight in his life, but his musicianship and tireless efforts to bring about The Wichita Jazz Festival allowed him the pleasure of meeting, performing with, and counting some of jazz music's greatest names as friends, including Clark Terry, Jay McShann, Claude Williams, and Thad Jones. Perhaps the pinnacle of his musical accomplishments came with the recording of the critically acclaimed 1976 album “Feelings” with Johnny Harris and Art Hicks. Without a doubt, Fred's four sons credit their love of music and their musicianship directly to their father. In addition to that influence, all of his children feel that he encouraged and inspired them to pursue their goals and aspirations in life. After college, Fred served in the US Army, then settled with his wife, Elizabeth, in Wichita to embark on a career as a petroleum geologist. He took a job with Gulf Oil in the mid 1950s, but soon ventured as an independent with Dr. Robert Walters in Walters Drilling, which led to forming Bethryn Oil with another partner, Bill Bartlett. He always considered Bill and Robert to be mentors and instrumental in his success. Later he welcomed his daughter, Kathryn, into the business where they continued to work together for the rest of his life. This included the family venture Pingo Oil & Gas, which continues the search for fossil fuels today. Fred was a long-standing member of the Kansas Geological Society and the Kansas Geological Foundation. He served as President of the KGS and was honored as a lifetime member in 2018. Throughout his adult life he was a fierce mental health advocate, having been a founding member and serving as President of the Breakthrough Club. His lifelong love of the outdoors, especially in Colorado and Alaska where he both worked and explored, led him to acquire The Good Spot Ranch in Southern Colorado - one of his favorite places on Earth. Fred was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-five years, Elizabeth Fitzgibbon James; brother, David F. James; and parents, Charles and Grace James. He is survived by his brothers, Charles and Douglas; and his children and their spouses, Fred and Mary-Ann, Chris and Sherrie, Peter and Rebekah, David and Veronica, and Kathryn; along with six grandchildren, Charlianne, Catherine, Molly, David, Jonathan, and Anna; as well as three great grandchildren, Bianca, Emilia, and Elizabeth. A memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, December 16, 2022, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1321 N. Stratford Lane Wichita, KS 67206. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established with: The Lord's Diner, 520 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214; Breakthrough Club, P.O. Box 670, Wichita, KS 67201; Guadalupe Clinic, 940 S. St. Francis, Wichita, KS 67211. Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.