Jimmy (Jim) Caruthers passed on after a 2 year battle with cancer on September 7, 2021 at his home in Costa Mesa, California. His mother and brother were with him. 

Jimmy grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1989.  He attended the University of North Texas in Denton where he studied jazz percussion with a focus on becoming a studio musician.  Jimmy moved to Costa Mesa, California in 2001 to be closer to his grandmother, Johnnie Caruthers, who he cared for in her later years. 

Jimmy’s father, who also died from cancer in 1975, won two national USAC championships, one in 1975 while fighting cancer.  His father was accepted into the USAC hall of fame in 2015, and Jimmy was there to accept for his late father.  

Jimmy had a passion for playing the drums, singing, rock climbing, motorcycles, fast cars, wine tasting, the ocean, and women’s rights. He was always up for experiencing or learning something new and taught himself to play several instruments as an adult and found great joy in taking up sailing in his 40s.  He bought a catamaran called “Almost There” and sailed for several years from Charleston S.C. to Grenada.  If you passed the test to be invited on the boat, which involved watching his favorite movies (Captain Fantastic, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty ), you could be anointed as a “Dinghy Captain” and get to drive around the islands in his overpowered rubber dinghy.

Jimmy ended up making Grenada his second home.  He made many friends in the local community where he became a well known percussionist, and played in live performances every week. 

Jimmy is survived by his mother, Sally Fitzgibbon (Los Alamos, NM), brother Scott Fitzgibbon (Ruidoso, NM), and nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. Jimmy was recently preceded in death by his stepfather Joe Fitzgibbon.

At a future date there will be celebrations of his life in Los Alamos, Southern California, and Grenada.  In lieu of flowers, please honor him by donating to your favorite women’s rights organization.