James "Jim" Nelson McCulloch

Obituary For James "Jim" Nelson McCulloch

James Nelson (Jim) McCulloch of Durham, NC passed away on September 19, 2026 after a sudden, unexpectedly serious health issue. Jim was born March, 1965 to Robert J. and Beverly McCulloch of Eddyville, Iowa. The family moved to Burlington, Iowa in 1968, where Jim began grade school. Bob and Beverly eventually settled in LaPorte, Indiana in September 1974, where they would remain. Jim completed high school in 1983. Shortly after, he attended the deep-sea diving program at Divers Institute of Technology in Seattle, Washington, completing the program successfully.

In fall 1987, Jim moved to the Raleigh, NC area where his brother Jeff was located. Shortly after, Jim began working in the commercial audio-visual systems field, which was rapidly developing, and a big part of the “tech” scene in the Raleigh/Durham area in the late 1980’s. The audio-visual work turned out to be Jim’s true calling, and he continued the A/V work, as a Tech, and then Systems Engineer for his remaining years.

During the 1987 to 1990 period, Jim was an avid rock climber and was always traveling the local and western NC area to go climbing – Chimney Rock and several other famous, challenging sites.

Like his dad, Bob, Jim was the ultimate “tinkerer” and always had projects and machines to work on to keep himself occupied, challenged.

Jim lived in the Parkwood neighborhood in Durham and enjoyed great friendship with several close neighbors. Jim was preceded in death by his parents Bob and Bev. He is survived by his brother Jeff in Willow Spring, NC and sister Megan and nephew Nick and great nieces Dalynne and Aviana in LaPorte, IN, as well as aunts, uncles and several cousins, in Iowa and other locations around the country.

Jim was a quiet kind soul. We hope you knew him, enjoyed his friendship, and remember him as that. He will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace in God’s company.

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