Absent Friends
James Bruggers
1958 - 2026
James David Bruggers was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan. His family had a cabin in the "top of the mitten" part of the state where he visited year round and enjoyed exploring surrounding woodlands and wildlife, fishing, Christmas tree farming and making maple syrup, and learned to truly love and appreciate the outdoors. It’s no small wonder that he chose a career in environmental journalism.
After graduating from the University of Montana with Bachelor degrees in Journalism and Forestry, and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Jim got his journalism feet wet writing for several smaller newspapers around the West, including The Hungry Horse News, The Whitefish Pilot, The Frontiersman, and The Valley Sun, before settling down for a decade writing on environmental issues for the (then) Contra Costa Times in California. In 1999 Jim moved to Louisville, where his honest and dogged reporting contributed to making Louisvillians' lives better. Through his work as an environmental reporter, he brought many critical environmental issues to light for Kentuckians by writing about toxic air levels, urban heat islands, solvents causing brain damage in railroad workers, pollution in Beargrass Creek, and toxins in backyards of people growing vegetables. The list goes on and on. After Jim left the Courier Journal in 2018, he expanded his reporting by focusing on critical issues related to climate change as a highly valued member of Inside Climate News.
To learn more about Jim's life and career, please read Connor Griffin's story about Jim in the Courier Journal: https://bit.ly/3V5YVf8 or search in your browser for James Bruggers News.
Jim was preceded in death by his loving parents Edith and Laurence Bruggers. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Chris Bruggers, his siblings Richard (Jackie), Donald (Julie) and Carol, and beloved nieces and nephews Sean, Ryan, Alexandria, Ashleigh, Garrett, Grace and Claire. He also leaves behind fellow journalists and readers all over the country whose writing and understanding of our critical environmental challenges were influenced by his skilled reporting and his generosity as a mentor. He was deeply respected and admired by friends and colleagues and dearly loved and cherished by his family.
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