On Wednesday, October 19, 1949, James Howard Gough entered the world. He grew up on Russell Street in Covington, Kentucky, where he was one of 12 children and was known, lovingly, by his siblings and family as Jimmy.

He was a lover of cars and was particularly in love with his dad's AMC Rambler, which he would sneak out and race with friends. One of the first cars young Jimmy bought was a beat-up 1957 Chevy Bel Air for $50. It was a steal at that price, but it would require loving hands to bring it back from the brink. By working on cars, he found a passion for learning why machines didn't work, and then how to fix them.

Jimmy started out high school at Covington Latin School, where he excelled in his courses, but his focus was elsewhere. With the Beatles, the radio, and a full tank of gas, he was driving toward different goals. It was then that he met a young woman by the name of Susan Ward, who everyone knew as Suzie, at Jim’s cousin’s house in 1964. This meeting changed his life forever, as he found his person.

During those early dating years, Jim made the choice to leave Cov Latin and join Sue at Holy Cross, where he began to find another family to call his own. In Sue’s family, Jim found eight more siblings and their partners. As the best friend to many of the men and women in Sue's family, he was also known by his dozens of nieces and nephews as fun Uncle Jim.

Jim and Sue were married on January 3, 1970; "Something" by The Beatles was playing on the radio. At the time, Jim was in the Army, having been drafted in 1968, stationed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. After they were married, their life together began in Nuremberg, Germany, where Private Gough was a missile repair parts clerk until he was discharged in 1971.

It was there that Jim started a new job: dad. In October 1970, Jennifer Lynn was born. On their return to Kentucky, Jim and Sue welcomed more children into their home: Jeffrey Allen in February 1973, Debi Renee in December 1975, Rebecca Diane in January 1978, and James Matthew in April 1979. They moved into their home on Merravay Drive in Florence, KY in 1976, a place that was busy with family and friends. Some of their most treasured lifelong friendships were forged in the 20 years they spent on Merravay Drive raising their kids together.

Jim was deeply involved in his kids' athletics: they all played soccer. When they played in high school, he announced every home game for over a decade, and to this day, those who remember, think of that big booming voice saying, "Jeff Gough, a soph-a-more from Simon Ken-ton...".

His passion for fixing machines became his career. He worked for the L&N Railroad, L&H Tool and Die and then for Mazak, where he spent over 28 years. With Mazak hestarted in Florence, Kentucky, then moved to Matthews, North Carolina, and finally, following his eldest daughter Jenny to Atlanta, Georgia. After his retirement from Mazak, he continued on as a consultant, teaching others what was wrong with machines and how to fix them, including his son Matt.

He was active in his church parishes, first at Saint Paul in Florence, Kentucky, then Saint Lawrence in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he met a fun group of friends with whom he enjoyed many a "guys' night" dinner.

Jim had one more role to fill, his favorite: in September 1998, he became a grandfather, and since then, 13 grandkids have called him Papa Jim.

Lawrenceville, Georgia was the place that saw his grandkids grow-up: with cul-de-sac wiffleball games, backyard swimming in their pool, family holidays filled with great memories and bags of crap, a never empty candy machine, concerts on the square, growlers of craft beer, water balloon fights, Aunt Becky visiting from the UAE, spoiled puppies and weekly Sunday breakfasts. As a grandpa, Papa Jim found his purpose.

He spent his final two years in Huntsville, Alabama in the care of Clearview Cancer Institute and Dr. Marshall Schreeder. His time there was filled with softball games, Handel's ice cream, and watching Wheel of Fortune, playing dominoes, completing a 50 year old goal to solve the Rubik’s Cube and celebrating family with Friday night dinners.

Fun Fact! There is myth and lore surrounding a tradition that was started with a sparkly green jacket. Sue's parents used to get dressed up and go dancing at the Emerald Ballroom. Her father, Jim Ward, would wear a special jacket whenever he went out, and one of these was an emerald, green sequin jacket. Upon the passing of his father-in-law, Jim claimed the jacket for himself. In his honor, Jim danced his first dance in the green jacket with his daughter Debi on May 22, 1998, at her wedding. And the rest is history: almost every wedding on the Ward side of the family since then had an appearance of the green jacket with his final green jacket dance occurring in March of 2024 for his granddaughter Haley’s wedding. The green jacket was bequeathed to his nephew and fellow fun uncle Adam Trenkamp. Adam continues the tradition for Jim today.

Jim passed away at home with his wife by his side on October 30, 2026 after a long battle with cancer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Howard and Rose June Gough; his brother Greg Gough.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Susan "Sue" (Ward) Gough; his children, Jenny Engel, Jeff (Jen) Gough, Debi (Pete) Townsend, Becky Gough, and Matt Gough; 13 grandchildren, Haley (Drew) Dombroski, Marlee (Tristan) Walls, Joey (Katie) Ponder, Sergeant Ethan Townsend, Jake Ponder, Lesliee (Sergeant Nic ) McDaniel, Anastasia Engel, Elliott Gough, Gena Gough, James Gough, Ella Gough, Lucian Townsend, and Hillary Townsend; six great - grandchildren, Mila McDaniel, Parker Walls, Rory Ponder, Lila McDaniel, Milo McDaniel, and Nellie Ponder; and his brothers and sisters, Bob (Mary) Gough, Rick (Pat) Gough, Jeannine (Joe) Anderson, Rose Marie (Greg) Voegtle, Pat (Joe) Boylan, Karen (Darrell) Martin, Judy (Fred) Thompson, Mike (Donna) Gough, Connie (Andy) Chapman, and Vicky (Tim) Klette.

A visitation will be held for Jim on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM EST at St. Barbara Roman Catholic Church, 4042 Turkeyfoot Rd, Erlanger, KY 41018. Directly following the visitation there will be a memorial mass at the church, beginning at 11:00 AM EST. Immediately following the mass please join us for a celebration of life in The Sterling Center at St. Barbara. 

A private family inurnment service will be held at Good Shephard Catholic Church in Huntsville, AL.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Jim’s honor to the Russel Hill Cancer Foundation at Clearview Cancer Institute: RussellHill.org