James Norman Hartwell

James Norman Hartwell (July 13th, 1944 - February 6th, 2025)

James was affectionately known as Jim, Jimmy, Jimbo, Uncle Jimmy and of course, Dad. He was a proud father, husband, and friend who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday February 6th in his Fairfield Bay, Arkansas home.

He was born in Houston, Texas in July, 1944 to Margaret Louise Heard Hartwell Carr and James Norman Hartwell, Sr, while they were stationed there. They soon after moved to Gueydan, Louisiana in rice country where he spent his early childhood and was known to play on the railroad tracks or the Heard Rice Farm with his brother Jerry. The Hartwell’s then moved to Biloxi, Mississippi where Jim finished high school until joining the Army and serving in Panama. When he returned to Biloxi, he attended Jeff Davis Junior College, which he didn’t care too much for. His trajectory changed one night when he met some guys in a pool hall in Gulfport who invited him to join them on their NOAA Research Ship where he ended up spending several years and finding a passion for Geology. The ship brought him to the Pacific Northwest where he completed his education with a Master’s Degree in Geology from Western Washington University. His work then brought him to Colorado at the Bureau of Reclamation where he fell in love with the beautiful Rocky Mountain state where he would spend the next 30 years.

At the age of 50, he retired to become a stay-at-home dad to his daughter and pride-and-joy, “Miss Rose.” He was also a loving step-father and father figure to her siblings, Madison, Taylor, and Annalise. He became an avid skier and helped teach his daughter to ski, or otherwise helping her create dare-devil sledding slopes at his home in Evergreen, Colorado.

Jimmy was known for hand-crafting beautiful knives, stewing a true Crawfish Etouffee in Louisiana fashion, or baking a Hummingbird Cake for any occasion. He shined on the Golf course, becoming quite the amateur golfer and tournament goer. Golf ultimately led him to his wife Billie Sue not long after he moved into a house right on the 13th Hole of the Indian Hills Golf Course in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. He found a wonderful community in Fairfield Bay and was known as “one of the kindest men on the Golf Course.” Billie Sue and Jim got to travel frequently together, having great fun golfing and being Newlyweds. His family noted that he was his happiest and living his best life the last several years in Arkansas.

Jim was preceded in death by his father and mother, and is survived by his wife, Billie Sue Schulze, daughter Shelby Rose Hartwell, and siblings Jerry Hartwell, Jan Purvis, Jo H. White, and Jaynell Talaber.

Jim requested that there be no funeral or service. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to Indian Hills Golf Association or to PGA Reach Colorado Foundation at https://reach.coloradopga.com. His ashes will be brought to rest in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado at his request.

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