James Peter Nussbaum

Our beloved James “Jim” Peter Nussbaum, 87, of Greenwood Village, Colorado, died peacefully on Friday, September 18, 2026, in the comfort of his home with his family by his side.

Born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, Jim lived a life full of hard work, curiosity, warmth, and generosity. He was the first person in his family to attend and graduate from college, earning his B.A. in English with highest honors from St. John’s University in Minnesota and later an MBA in marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Jim was also a veteran of the Army National Guard and received an honorable discharge.

Jim began selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door at 17 and went on to pay his own way through seven years of college by selling cookware, china, flatware, and cutlery. It was the start of a lifelong career in sales, entrepreneurship, relationship-building, and mentoring.

After earning his MBA, Jim worked in corporate planning, market research, and marketing. He later traveled the country conducting sales training and motivational programs with American Salesmasters, sharing a platform with such notables as the late Earl Nightingale and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Eventually, he made his way to Colorado and began the career for which many people knew him best.

Jim entered residential real estate with Denver’s Van Schaack and Co., where he became one of the firm’s leading salespeople. After 11 years there, he joined four colleagues in founding The Kentwood Company. Over a real estate career spanning more than 50 years, Jim was recognized as a top residential salesperson in Colorado year after year and participated in more than 2,800 closings. After the partners sold the company in 2007, he continued working at Kentwood and was still selling houses into the final months of his life.

As proud as Jim was of what he accomplished professionally, the story he chose to tell about his life was larger than his career. In his book, “Significance: A Lifetime of Learning, Earning and Love,” Jim reflected on the stages of his own life—survival, stability, success, and ultimately significance—and on what it means to build a life that truly matters. That perspective was shaped by profound challenges, including a cancer diagnosis he was not expected to survive and the death of his son, Eric, who had been in a coma for 14 years. Those experiences led Jim to reevaluate his priorities and deepened his commitment to helping others, including through his involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Denver Advisory Board.

People who knew Jim best will remember much more than his career. Jim never met a stranger and was endlessly interested in people. He lived by the words of Maya Angelou that people may forget what you say or do, but they remember how you make them feel. He had a remarkable ability to remember a special detail about nearly everyone he met.

Jim loved traveling and seeing new places, cheering on the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies, getting outside for walks along the High Line Canal, and the polka music and German food that reminded him of his youth. He was a great storyteller and a lifelong learner, never without a stack of books on his nightstand. Jim found joy in simple pleasures: smelling the lilacs on a spring day, wearing his Mickey Mouse watch, and writing in his gratitude journal each night. He also believed deeply in giving back. Jim would happily jump on the phone to offer guidance or mentorship to anyone who asked. He carried a stack of two-dollar bills so he could give one to anyone who showed him a small kindness, simply to brighten their day.

Jim’s faith was a central part of his life. He was a devout Catholic whose faith shaped how he understood family, service, perseverance, and the meaning of a life well lived. He attended Mass regularly, sought out services even when traveling abroad, and never missed a holy day of obligation.

Above all, Jim loved his family. He shared 60 years of marriage with his wife, Mary Jean, whom he met on a blind date when she was in nursing school. She was his best friend and constant companion. Jim was a devoted, proud, and loyal husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and grandfather and relished any opportunity to brag about the accomplishments of those he loved.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jean; his son, Dan; his daughter, Kate and her wife, Allie; his grandchildren Danny, Reise, Dylan, and Emma; his siblings Joe, Janice and her husband, Dave, and Jean and her husband, Jack; his sister-in-law, Sandy; and many treasured nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Eric; his granddaughter, Hailey; and his brother, John.

A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Risen Christ Catholic Church, 3060 S Monaco St Pkwy, Denver, CO 80222.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Sacred Heart House of Denver, Challenge Foundation Denver, or Make-A-Wish Foundation.