Francis Wayne James July 12, 1938 ~ August 9, 2026
Francis Wayne James was born July 12, 1938 at his Grandma Fosnot’s home near Cahone, CO, the third child of Ted Earl James and Velma Fosnot James.
The family moved to a farm east of Cortez just before Pearl Harbor Day. They lived there until February, 1948, when they moved to Monticello.
Wayne worked at full-service gas stations until December, 1958 when he took a job on a seismograph crew for the winter with the promise of a better job in the spring.
Spring came and he found that he wanted to learn more about surveying. He remained with the seismograph crew until he received a draft notice from the US Army.
His time in the Army was spent at Fort Carson, CO. After his honorable discharge from the Infantry, he resumed his work with surveying, eventually leading him to work in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Yemen.
After extended periods on the seismograph crew out in the desert, he would spend time-off in Beirut where he met and eventually married the love of his life, Daisy Sacre`.
Wayne & Daisy returned to the US in 1972, moving to Moab where they owned an electric motor rewinding shop – James Electric.
After operating James Electric for many years, they purchased and operated the Inca Inn Motel. They made many friends from all over the world during their time at the Inca.
They eventually sold the Inca Inn and retired with plans of traveling and enjoying retirement, but cancer ended that dream with Daisy’s passing in 2012.
With the love of his life gone, Wayne spent the remainder of his years tinkering on his second love, actually his first love, his 1957 Plymouth Fury which he purchased new at the age of 19. He never tired of telling stories about his adventures in that car.
Wayne’s final years were spent as a resident of the Canyonlands Care Center in Moab where he passed away on August 9, 2026 at the age of 88. Funeral services were held on August 15 followed by burial at the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Moab.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, brother Richard James, sister Joy Christensen and his wife Daisy James.
He leaves behind six nieces and one nephew; Tana Skeem, Kathy Key, Robert Christensen, Twila Chavez, Ruth Christensen, Kerry Allen & Tara Marshall, as well as many great nieces and nephews and a close cousin, Darrell James.