Obituaries

James Author Ulch, 73, of Pottsboro, Texas, passed away on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. James was born on August 31, 1947 in Sherman, Texas, the first child of Douglas Ulch and Betty (Rodgers) Ulch. After graduating high school James entered the United States Navy, where he famously served in the "Battle of Tijuana." Upon returning from the Navy, James experimented with many occupations, such as sewing machine salesman, sheet metal worker, paint-mixer repairer, and even a small stint with the CIA in Washington, DC. He claimed he wasn't working as a spy, but our country was never invaded by the Russians, so he must have been the one who talked them out of it. James was always down for a good time, never met a stranger, and could make anyone laugh. He was one of the last great joke-tellers and a true comedian. He was a superfan of John Wayne and Muhammad Ali, and at one time, was known to run a mean drag-race on Collin and Grayson county backroad in his Plymouth Duster. He later became an avid Jeopardy watcher, enjoyed his occasional chicken-fried steak, and loved going to the movies. He lived his life the way he wanted, and all of us who knew and loved him have the stories to prove it. James leaves behind a host of family and friends that will miss him dearly, including his son Chris and daughter-in-law Shelley; grandchildren: Savannah, Presley, and Conner; sister Cathy Galyean and brother Mike Ulch; nieces: Cheri Glover and Alicia Nelson; nephews: Nick Ulch and Matt Ulch. He also leaves behind his very best friend in the world and lifelong soul-brother, Ken Langford. James was preceded in death by his parents, D.A. and Betty Ulch. In lieu of flowers, James would simply want you to raise a shot of Canadian Mist with a friend and maybe tell a good joke or two. Due to COVID, the family will have a small family-only celebration of life.