James Jeffrey Folkes

COLLEYVILLE,TX - James Jeffrey Folkes, 56, passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2019 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Memorial Service: 2 p.m. Saturday, January 5 at First United Methodist Church Grapevine in the Main Sanctuary. Park on Scribner Street side.
Come-and-go Reception: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, January 4 at 6200 Ponderosa Street, Colleyville, TX 76034.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at www.pancan.org or to VNA Hospice at www.vnatexas.org , or by check to the Methodist Children's Home Bike Project Ministry through First United Methodist Church Grapevine. Please make checks payable to "FUMC Grapevine" and write "Jeff Folkes Bike Project" in the memo, and mail to 422 Church Street, Grapevine, TX 76051.
Jeff was born March 16, 1962 in San Antonio, Texas to James Richard Folkes and Karen Palmer. Jeff attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was active in both Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the Silver Spurs and graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Business Administration. On a blind date in college, Jeff met his sweetheart and future wife, Kim Stoker, who he married on October 26, 1985. After spending their first four years together in Crested Butte, Colorado, they moved back to the Lone Star State to eventually plant their roots in Colleyville, Texas. In 1992, Jeff became a father to his son, Ryan, and later to his daughter, Haley, in 1995.
Jeff started his professional career at Blackmon-Mooring in disaster recovery, after which he started his own business, Pinnacle Cleaning Company, which he successfully sold. He then became a commercial property contractor, first with Hammett Construction Incorporated and later with Diversified Improvement Contractors, before retiring in May 2017.
While Jeff was an extremely hard worker, he valued time to play as well. However, his play required as much, if not more, work than his career. In March of 2011, Jeff dipped his toe into the world of racing by competing in his first sprint triathlon. He was hooked. Over the next six years, he would train and compete in several races, including numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, bike rallies, and various sprint and Olympic triathlons. In 2013, Jeff earned the title of Ironman when he completed the 140.6 mile race in Tempe, Arizona. He would go on to complete six half-Ironman races and three more full Ironman races in Chattanooga, Tennessee (2014), Panama City Beach, Florida (2015), and Louisville, Kentucky (2016).
Jeff was a man of dignity, a warrior, and an amazing son, brother, husband, father, uncle, and friend to so many. To many, he was known as the "GOAT" because of his unrelenting ability to fight the uphill battles. He made everyone that he knew feel important, and could fill any room with love, joy, and happiness. He had a million dollar smile, and had an unwavering zest for life that was instantly contagious to everyone he met. He was always willing to share hugs and words of encouragement. He was loved and will be missed in an immeasurable magnitude.
Jeff was preceded in death by his father, James Folkes, and stepfather, Thomas Patterson. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Kim; son, Ryan and wife, Susie; daughter, Haley and fiancé, Andy McClintic; mother, Karen Patterson; brother, Lee Folkes and wife, Anne; brother, Brett Folkes and wife, Lola; sister, Jennifer Knapp and husband, Walter; nephews, Land Folkes, Travis Folkes, and Jackson Knapp, and niece, Stuart Folkes.