James Herbert Tatum

James was born in Miami, Florida in 1932 to Vaughn K. and Myrtle A. Tatum. He graduated from Miami Edison Senior High School at the age of 15 and matriculated into the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. In 1951 he joined the Navy and was selected for Submarine Duty. He served as a gunner’s mate 3 on the USS Sterlet and then the USS Besugo. Their primary duty was patrolling the Chinese coast against the communist threat and supporting Japan.

Upon his return from the Navy, James married the love of his life, Lois Braswell, on December 17, 1955, in Tallahassee, Florida. With the help of the GI Bill, James completed his BS degree in Chemistry from Florida State University in 1960. During that same year, he began his tenure as an Organic Research Chemist at the Federal Department of Agriculture Tropical and Subtropical Food Products Laboratory in Winter Haven, Florida. In 1969 he completed his MS in Chemistry from the University of South Florida in Tampa. James had 33 published research papers and articles and has been cited in another 1,915 articles and dissertations by chemists from all over the world from 1960s to today. He retired in 1988. James and his wife Lois enjoyed their retirement in Winter Haven until 2023, when they moved to The Gallery at North Port to be close to their daughters.

James is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Lois. He is survived by his three daughters, Loisanne (Bruce), Laurie (Only Grandson, Blaine), and Lee (Brian).

Known as Jim to his family and friends, he was a wonderful husband, father and grandparent. Jim was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, diving and spearfishing. Jim ran his last marathon at the age of 75 and was instrumental in forming the Winter Haven Runners Club in the 1970s. In 2010 he was inducted into The US Submarine Veterans Holland Club, Sea Poacher Base, in Bartow, Florida. After retiring, Jim and his good friend and former USDA fellow Chemist Robert Baker continued working out at a gym in Winter Haven until Jim and Lois moved to North Port after their 90th and 88th birthdays.