James David Tufts III

David was born to the late James David (“J.D.”) Tufts II and Ruth Gross Tufts. He is predeceased by his late brother Thomas Tufts, and survived by his brothers Robert Tufts, Fredrick Tufts, and his sister Linda Tufts Hebbler.

He married Claudia Liberto Tufts in 1982. They had many happy years together with their children who survive David, Madison Elizabeth Tufts, James David Tufts IV and Ashley Anne Tufts, along with her husband, Andrew Mark Stakelum.

He is also survived by a host of loving relatives, including his favorite golf-partner and brother-in-law, Hal J. Simeon and his wife Debby Simeon.

Though his passion was oil & gas, what meant most to him were his wife and children. He adored his children and watching them participate in what they loved and excelling in their schooling and careers.

He had a passion for life and loved every minute of being with those closest to him while eating seafood on a Friday night, golfing at Metairie Country Club, skiing in Aspen, and attending LSU and Saints games.

David began his career in oil & gas as an independent petroleum landman beginning at the age of eighteen. He later worked as an attorney with the law firm Deutsch Kerrigan and Stiles in New Orleans and subsequently served as in-house counsel to Pennzoil Company in Houston, Texas. In 1984, he returned to New Orleans to join his father, J.D., in the oil & gas business at Crutcher-Tufts, where he served in a number of roles for its various affiliated entities, including President. David would eventually lead the company through many of its most prosperous times. In 2000 David founded Tufts Energy in New Orleans, which he continued to build through his final days.

He was an active member of the American Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, and Texas State Bar Association. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA), former President and Chairman of the Board of The Petroleum Club of New Orleans, a former member of the Executive Committee of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPPA), and a former member of the Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas Association (LIOGA). He was a member of Metairie Country Club, Snowmass Country Club, a supporter of Fore! Kids Foundation-Zurich Classic and a long-time Season Ticket Holder of the New Orleans Saints. He cherished his years at Sam Barthe and De La Salle High School ’72, Louisiana State University ’76, and Loyola Law School ’79, where he was a member of the Law Review and graduated with Honors.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home in New Orleans, on Saturday, June 24, 2017, with visitation beginning at 11 AM, followed by a memorial Mass in the Chapel at 1:00 PM

To view and sign the Funeral Guest Book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com