James "Jim" DeFazio

Jim DeFazio, age 76 of Fort Collins, CO died Monday, February 13, 2023, in Fort Collins, CO. He was born in Hamilton, Ohio, the son of John V. And Ann Louise (Antes) DeFazio. He was the third of eight children (Mike, John, Marianne, Rita, Nancy, Dan, Bob). Jim graduated from Hamilton Catholic High School in 1964. He received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy where he played lacrosse and graduated in 1968. After military academy graduation, he served his country as a pilot in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam conflict. Jim piloted the C-123 in support of forward operating bases (FOB) in his first tour, and the KC-135 in his second tour in support of bombing missions. After completing his Air Force commitment, he spent the next 35 years in both, public and private sectors. He also received his MBA from Wayne State University. In 1976, Jim became a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During his twenty plus years in the FBI, he investigated organized crime, drug distribution, and money laundering to name a few. His final years in the FBI were in Scotland Yard, London England as Legal Attache’ working on international crimes. After retirement from the FBI, he became an investigator for Wachovia National Bank (Wells Fargo) in the money laundering unit. In 1972, Jim married Sherry (Smith) DeFazio in Oxford, Ohio. They have two sons, Damian and Adrian (Heather), and five grandchildren (Aiden, Gianna, James Morgan, Annalina, and Sydney). Damian is a graduate of Notre Dame University and lives in Columbus, Ohio. Adrian is a graduate of New Mexico State University and lives in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2022, Jim and Sherry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family reunion in Crested Butte, CO. Jim was an avid cyclist, completing the Ride the Rockies multiple times. During their 50 years of marriage, Jim and Sherry traveled extensively in Europe and the United States, biking and hiking most of the National Parks. Jim could be seen frequently cycling the streets of greater Fort Collins. He was known for his warm smile, hearty laughter and upbeat demeanor. He was active locally serving as Vice President of the Fort Collins Newcomers Alumni Association where his wife Sherry serves as President. His presence will be missed by anyone that knew him. A Celebration of Life for friends and family will be held at the Family residence in Fort Collins on Sunday March 5th from 12-4. A military funeral will be held at the USAFA chapel at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.