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Tribute to Jim Fraker

My name is Alan, and I’m the son of Doris Fraker-Bruns. Today, I have the privilege of speaking on behalf of the Bruns family as we remember and celebrate the life of Jim Fraker.

It’s truly been a joy to get to know Jim and his family,

If someone wrote a biography about Jim’s life, it would have a lot of fascinating chapters—some that would make you laugh, and some that would cause your eyebrows to raise, but the story line would point to God’s grace in Jim’s life.

My mom once told Jim that she wished she had known him when he was younger. Jim grinned and said, “Well, I’m glad you didn’t!” And that was Jim—honest and humble.   

We were blessed to get to know him during what I’d call the final—and maybe the best—chapter of his life.

After my dad passed away unexpectedly in 2005, my mother had no interest in remarriage and stayed busy with friends and church.

So you can imagine our surprise when we heard about a man she’d met in Sunday School—a widower named Jim.

We knew nothing about Jim, but my sister, Aimee, found a picture of him on the internet and sent it to me.

It looked like a mug shot. He had a long, scruffy white beard and looked like he’d been the woods for years!

Aimee and I both thought, “Well, that’s a different look for our prim and proper mother!”

I first met Jim at the Denver international airport in early 2014. Jim wanted to meet with me to talk about something important.

During our conversation, he told me he was interested in my mother—and then, in true gentlemanly fashion, he asked for my sister’s and my blessing to pursue a relationship with Doris. He said that, if all went well, they hoped to marry within a year.

Well, things did go well—because on February 14th, 2015, Jim and my mom were married.

Aimee and I were proud to give him our blessing and to welcome him into our family.

Jim was a wonder husband for my mother.

They truly enjoyed life together—visiting family, traveling with friends, and hosting gatherings. Their calendar was always full, and their home was always open.

Jim developed a serious faith in Jesus Christ later in life, and when he did, he was all in.

He became a man deeply devoted to Jesus, his Lord and Savior. He spent hours studying the Bible, praying, and learning with other men in Bible studies. Through the Holy Spirit, many people helped shape his faith, and Jim, in turn, helped shape the faith of many others—including mine.

Jim was humble, always learning, never acting like he had it all figured out. He and I had many conversations about Scripture and theology, and how to live out our faith more meaningfully.

He was also quick to pray for people. He taught me that faith isn’t meant to stay private—it’s meant to be shared. One of the most powerful ways we share it is by praying for each other.

At his previous church, Jim felt called to become a deacon. Most people become a deacon emeritus around age 70—but not Jim. At 75, he completed a full year of theology classes, and learned what it really means to serve others. He cared for widows, helped disabled individuals make into the church, and welcomed people with genuine warmth.

When Jim and Mom started attending First Presbyterian Church, he didn’t slow down. Retirement from serving God just wasn’t an option for him. He became an usher. A role that he took seriously, Ushering wasn’t just about handing out bulletins. It was about ushering God’s people into the presence of a holy God for worship.

I’ll never forget standing near Jim this last Labor Day Sunday. He had just finished radiation therapy and was right back at the sanctuary entrance greeting people, giving hugs, praying for them, and welcoming them to worship.  Many asked how he was doing, and he responded “fantastic.”   He was even mentioned in the sermon that day. 

That was the last Lord’s Day he was physically able to come to church and despite his discomfort and weakness, he came with joy and a heart of service.

When he was diagnosed with cancer, Jim didn’t lose heart. He read John Piper’s booklet called How Not to Waste Your Cancer, and his takeaway was this: “How is God going to grow me and make me the man He wants me to be through this journey?”

That was Jim—a man who took his faith seriously and lived it joyfully. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever—that became Jim’s motto in the last years of his life.

Jim will be deeply missed, especially by my mother., Doris. She often said how blessed she was to have had two wonderful marriages—one with my father, Dennis, and her second with Jim. She was grateful for the love, companionship, and encouragement Jim brought into her life.

As we remember Jim, I’m reminded of these words from James 1:12:

James 1:12 ESV

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

And also, from John 11:25–26, where Jesus said:

John 11:25–26 ESV

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

Jim’s biography was a story of faith, perseverance, and hope in Christ. May we honor his memory by living with that same devotion, humility, and love.