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By Mandy Haggerson

For the Clemmons Courier

For a loving family man and someone who has always been active in life, it takes a lot to slow you down. Growing up in the Winston-Salem area, Jim Fussell attended Parkland High School the first year it opened. He took advantage of sports like basketball and golf. Fussell enjoyed golf so much that he only looked at attending colleges that had programs which would allow him to design golf courses. 

When Fussell attended Appalachian State University, he majored in industrial arts.

“I realized I could earn a teaching certificate too and thought that might be an even better route to take. I would enjoy teaching architectural drawing and engineering,” said Fussell.

Another college that also offered that program selection was North Carolina State University. Fussell had strongly considered transferring there until fate stepped in.

“A friend of mine needed a ride home, and then decided against it. Another student from ASU was visiting her roommates’ family in Walkertown and asked if I still had room. I’m so glad that fate intervened because that person ended up being my wife, Judy,” said Fussell. 

After that fateful car ride, Fussell ended up staying at ASU and asked Judy out on a date the following weekend. The rest is history.

“She wanted to be a teacher too, and that convinced me to stay on the track I was on,” said Fussell. 

After graduation, Fussell was hired to work at Parkland High School.

“It was entertaining because I was in the teacher lounge with several teachers that had just taught me a couple of years prior,” said Fussell. “I stayed there for about 10 years and enjoyed my time in the classroom.”

Fussell was also recognized with several awards that reflected his commitment to his students. 

“Like many soon to be parents, Judy and I took inventory of what we needed to do to prepare for their arrival. One of the bigger factors was that we wanted Judy to have the opportunity to stay at home with them. If that was going to be the case, we knew I needed to consider another career path. When I was offered a position at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, it was too good of an offer to refuse. I served in various roles there and spent my professional career working with some great people,” said Fussell. 

“Judy stayed home with our children, Matt and Brooke at that point. Although she was so excellent in the classroom, she was often asked to reconsider coming back. Judy did go back part time so that she could do what she loved in the classroom and be with our kids,” said Fussell. 

The lessons of being a parent were very rewarding to Jim and Judy.

“It’s a huge responsibility, I wanted to give them a solid foundation so that when they went out into the world, they could stand on their own two feet and be successful. I have been so proud of them doing just that and how they’ve raised their own families. I have six beautiful grandchildren ranging in ages from 7 to 22 years old. Judy and I have a loving relationship and believe that was critical in instilling that in our children, and of course, our faith in God is essential,” said Fussell. 

Being part of family’s greatest moments has always been important to Fussell. That’s why when he had a heart attack in 2018, it was a wakeup call.

“I was put on a heart pump until Dr. Sam Jacks could arrive and perform a quadruple bypass surgery,” said Fussell. “I realized I could no longer put off the fact that I was feeling tired and fatigued prior to my heart attack. I had assumed it was due to just getting older.”

Fortunately, Fussell’s medical team at Novant Health Cardiology encouraged him to also do a sleep study. He started using a CPAP as well because he stopped breathing 36 times in an hour which created significant stress on his heart.

“I had some other issues and was given a defib device and pacemaker in 2020 which is like constantly having at least two EMTs monitoring you,” said Fussell. “Now I peacefully sleep seven to eight hours each night.”

Fussell still has regular visits at the heart clinic with Dr. Michael Drucker and checks in with a sleep specialist once a year to keep his health a priority.

“Jim is a great example of a patient who has faced his health challenges head on and in collaboration with his care team over the years to ensure that he remains healthy and active,” said Jane Duffey, a sleep medicine specialist who works at Novant Health Neurology & Sleep at Kimel Park.

By staying on top of his health, he feels like his life is back to as normal as it can possibly be and he’s able to enjoy his life. Fussell can mow his yard, walk at the YMCA, play golf, keep up with his grandkids and take care of his 96-year-old mother who is in full nursing care at Bermuda Village. 

Fussell is grateful that he’s able to serve others and build community. Fussell recently organized a golf tournament that raised $10,212 to benefit western North Carolina.

“I feel blessed that I was able to do it. Your faith in God is the most important thing in your life,” said Fussell, who is an active member of Calvary Baptist Church. “It’s why we all do what we do. And hopefully others feel the same way, which is why it’s almost important to take care of your health. My advice to others is don’t just assume it’s because you’re getting old. If you don’t feel good, do something about it. It might just save your life.”