James Robert Lutes

James Robert “Jim” Lutes, born December, 1935 to Wilma Lavon Lutes, née Lugenbell, and William Barkey Lutes, passed away on April 1st, 2022 after a long and fulfilling life and a short, harrowing battle with cancer. Known as “Jim” to his friends and family, “Dad” to his children, and “Grandpa” or “Papa” to his grandchildren, he was a beloved member of his family, church, neighborhood, and community, always ready to offer a kind word or helping hand.

Born in Michigan at the height of the Great Depression, raised by a single mother and his maternal grandparents in Indiana, Jim learned resilience, compassion, and the value of hard work young. He carried those virtues with him all his life. Known as the man who could fix anything mechanical – and if he couldn’t, he would work on it until he figured it out – one of his greatest joys was repairing and rebuilding everything from light fixtures to cars, preferably with a family member nearby to help hold the tools. One of his first and favorite jobs was working at the local drive-in movie theatre as a teenager, because his younger brother Tommy was working beside him.

Jim’s greatest love and pride was his family. He met Joanne Ward on a blind date soon after moving to Atlanta as a young man, and, in 1962 she became Joanne Ward Lutes. They had two children (Jennifer Lutes Jordan and Chris Lutes), three grandchildren (Katie Jordan, Lindsay Lutes, and Wesley Jordan), and nearly 60 years of happy marriage together. The ‘cool dad’ of his neighborhood with an iconic green 15-passenger van nicknamed ‘the Green Bean’, he happily transported his children and their friends to activities large and small. He frequently emphasized how proud and glad he was to have attended both his children’s and all three of his grandchildren’s college graduations. An avid reader, car lover, tinkerer, and creative thinker, he was always ready to chat about anything from computers and cars, to world history and Star Wars. Finding joy and inspiration in both the arts and sciences, he was prepared to meet any challenge with a creative solution. From building a robot costume out of cardboard boxes with his son to configuring a complex spigot system to refill his fish pond, no problem was unsolvable.

Jim believed every job, large or small, brought new opportunities and insights. A man of all seasons, he carried with him a rich collection of life experiences. Unable to afford college, and hoping to see the world, he joined the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. In the decades following his honorable discharge, he would turn his hand to a number of professions; working in roller rinks and warehouses, the auto parts industry and digital security. He ultimately retired after a long and successful career as an IT director for Pinkerton inc. He was fascinated by all things technological. After an introduction to electronics through his high school’s theater program, he continued to work with new and developing technology as a radio technician in the Marine Corps. He kept up with emerging developments in electronics throughout his life and was an early adopter of computer systems both at home and at work. A proud veteran, Shriner, Mason, and member of his church, he was heavily involved in his community. He rode his motorcycle in parades, sang in the church choir, and provided everything from technical support to his own incredible stage presence in Kingswood Church’s theatrical programming.

Jim was a devout Christian, world traveler, deep thinker, and a proud and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and perseverance. He made it clear to all who knew him that he had no regrets, as he believed he had lived the best life with the best family. He is survived by his wife, Joanne Ward Lutes, daughter Jennifer Lutes Jordan, son-in-law Chris Jordan, son Chris Lutes, daughter-in-law Ashley Lutes, grandchildren Katie Jordan, Lindsay Lutes, and Wesley Jordan, as well as brother Tommy Lutes.

A memorial service for James will be held Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Kingswood Church, 4896 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.roswellfuneralhome.com for the Lutes family.