Birmingham Man's Decade-Long Cancer Battle Ends in Legacy of Love

James Franklin Fuqua Jr., a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on September 15, 2026, at the age of 72. Born in Tullahoma, Tennessee, on February 12, 1954, Jim spent his childhood excelling in school and sports. He attended Vanderbilt University, where he studied chemistry and biology, pledged Sigma Chi fraternity, and joined the track team.

After graduating, Jim remained in Nashville and took a research position at a microbiology lab and coached the Vanderbilt Women's Track Team. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Sena, in an elevator. They married shortly after and spent several years moving between Pennsylvania and Houston, Texas.

Jim worked for 32 years at Merck & Co., commuting back and forth from Birmingham to Philadelphia while raising his two daughters, Meredith and Bradley. He then became a president at PNP Therapeutics and was instrumental in building the oncology division at AbbVie. After being diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer in 2015, Jim retired and focused on being a stay-at-home grandfather.

Jim's family described him as having a selfless way of treating everyone he met, making them feel seen, heard, and loved. He is survived by his wife Sena, daughters Meredith and Bradley, sons-in-law John and Stephen, and six grandchildren. A memorial service was held on September 25, 2026, at Canterbury United Methodist Church.