At 80 years old, James Stroud Sr. was known to many as “Old Man Jimmy.” His son, James Stroud Jr., always looked up to him, following in his footsteps by taking over the family towing business, adopting his father’s mannerisms, and even picking up his habit of smoking.
“My dad was a great man, and everyone in the city knew him,” Stroud Jr. said. “He truly enjoyed his life.”
Now, the family is struggling to understand how such a kind-hearted man could be taken from them in such a tragic and violent way. James Stroud Sr. was shot and killed while sitting in his parked burgundy SUV in the Washington Heights neighborhood on Wednesday morning.
A Life Well-Lived
Stroud Jr. shared memories of his father from their Auburn Gresham home, where they had spent so many years together. He described his dad as tough when necessary but also incredibly kind, calling everyone “sweetheart.” The father and son were inseparable, talking every day.
“I always wanted to be like him. That’s probably why I’m a Junior,” he said. “He treated me with so much love.”
On Wednesday, around 10 a.m., James Stroud Sr. was sitting in his car in the 1400 block of West 90th Street when another vehicle, possibly a black GMC SUV, pulled up. Someone inside fired shots, hitting him in the head and back before driving away.
The Impact on His Family
Stroud Sr. was a hard worker. He ran his towing business, “Night and Day,” and previously owned car lots around the city. Recently, he had retired, and his son had taken over the business, renaming it “Jimmi’s Night and Day.”
Stroud Jr. was at work at the city’s Water Department when he got a distressing call from his mother, Fannie Mae Fields. Police had shown up at their home, and she was checking to see if he was okay.
“When I saw my dad’s license plates, my heart sank. My legs locked up, and I couldn’t walk,” Stroud Jr. said.
A Family’s Heartbreak
Fannie Mae Fields, 78, had been with Stroud Sr. for nearly 60 years. Though they divorced in the 1990s, they never truly separated and continued living together. She last saw him 40 minutes before he was killed, just after he received a phone call.
She hopes police will check his call records to find out if the shooting was linked to that conversation.
“This kind of violence never stops,” Fields said. “Why would someone just walk up and shoot him?”
Stroud Sr. was known for his strong moral values. He believed in fairness and respect but also stood his ground when needed.
“If you spoke nicely to him, he’d treat you the same way,” Stroud Jr. said. “But if you crossed him, he didn’t tolerate disrespect.”
A Life of Love and Community
Born in Durham, North Carolina, and raised in Newburgh, New York, Stroud Sr. moved to Chicago in 1964. He met Fields a year later, and they settled in Auburn Gresham in 1972, staying in the same home for over 50 years.
In his later years, he enjoyed spending time at a McDonald’s on 127th Street, playing chess and chatting with friends. He also loved watching Western movies and TV shows, especially “Walker, Texas Ranger.” One of his favorite sayings was, “Got to be more careful!”—a phrase his family will never forget.
Stroud Sr. leaves behind four children, about 12 grandchildren, and nearly 10 great-grandchildren.
“My dad was a pillar of the community,” Stroud Jr. said. “An 80-year-old man being killed while sitting in his car—it just doesn’t make sense.”
