James Melvin Tuma

October 22, 1943 - May 7, 2021

James (Jim) Melvin Tuma, age 77, passed away on May 7, 2021 at Live Oak Health Center after a lengthy illness. He was born on October 22,1943 in Little Rock Arkansas. He spent most of his life in Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended A.C. Steere Elementary School, Broadmoor Junior High School, C. E. Byrd High School and Northwestern State University where he was a member of TKE Fraternity.  Later he served in the Air Force Reserves at Barksdale AFB. He was a past member of the Broadmoor Branch of the Knights of Columbus.

He will be remembered as having a likable personality, someone who brought joy and laughter to all who knew him.  He enjoyed sharing fun stories and lived life to the fullest. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, automobiles, collecting antiques and coins and watching football on television. Jim was in Sales Management most of his adult life.

He was preceded in death by his fraternal grandparents, Emil and Veronika Tuma from Czechoslovakia who settled in Libuse, Louisiana, his maternal grandparents, Christopher and Nettie Sharbono and his parents, Jerry Joe and Ruby Lee Tuma. Left to cherish in his memory are his daughter, Tamara Renee Beard, his twin granddaughters, Katelin and Taylor Beard, his brother Samuel (Bo) Tuma, his aunt, Barbara Simmons, ex-wife and representative, Bernie Kalinsky, and niece, Renee Downey, along with many other relatives.

He will be buried in the Czech Cemetery in Libuse, Louisiana preceded by a short family memorial service with Msgr. Earl Provenza officiating.

The family is grateful for the caring support he received from the staff and personnel while he resided on the West Wing at Live Oak Health Center.