Gaither James

James Loren "Jim" Gaither
Nov. 16, 1937-Nov. 3, 2006
Well-known Casper artist Jim Gaither died Friday, Nov. 3, 2006 at Central Wyoming Hospice in Casper following a long illness.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Anthony's Catholic Church with Father Michael Carr officiating.
He was born Nov. 16, 1937 in Missoula, Mt., to Loren E. and Catherine (Smith) Gaither of Douglas. Wyoming would remain the family home base, although as a youth, he lived in several different locations, including four years in Europe after World War II, while his father, an officer in the U.S. Army, was on active duty.
His interest in art began as a student at Casper College where he received an associate's degree in 1958 and went on to earn bachelor of fine arts and master's degrees in education from the Tyler School of Fine Arts at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Following the completion of his education in Philadelphia and service with the U.S. Army in Korea, he returned to teach at Casper College. His 34-year career there saw the incredible growth of the college and his former students include many members of the Casper community. He made a lasting impression as a rigorous, yet humorous, teacher of painting, art history, and introduction to art.
He retired in 1998, continuing his long painting career of working in oils and watercolors with subject matters including architectural, avian and landscape forms. Wyoming was always an important subject of his art, although he was greatly influenced by his travels, especially his annual trips to Europe as co-director of a tour company, "Tour Europa," and as part of the Casper College Humanities program.
His work can be found in the art collection of President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Wyoming Capitol Art Collection, and in the permanent collections of the Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper College, Rock Springs Fine Arts Center and in over 300 private collections.
His artwork was exhibited many times in Wyoming and throughout the United States, as well as part of a cultural exchange with Brazil.
His professional memberships include: Signature Member, Northern Plains Watercolor Society; Montana Watercolor Society, Scotch and Watercolor Society, Signature Member, Watercolor West, the Watercolor Company, Casper, and the American Watercolor Society, 136th annual international exhibition in New York City.
Among the many organizations of which he was a member were the Wyoming Artists Association (past president), the Casper College Faculty Association (past president) and the. Nicolaysen Art Museum Board of Trustees.
He received many awards for his paintings and was also the recipient of the Jack Rosenthal Outstanding Educator Award and Grant, a Gold Medal award from the Northern Plains Watercolor Society and was the first recipient of the Tom West Memorial Artist Award from the Nicolaysen Art Museum.


In addition to his passion for painting, he was an avid birder and a dedicated gardener whose beautiful garden was often on the annual summer garden walk. He was also very active in theater for many years, which is where he met his wife. He loved games and sports, and was an outstanding chef He would share these passions with his family every Monday night for family dinners.
He was married on Dec. 17, 1966 in Casper to Linda Dalton, and in 1988 the couple renewed their marriage vows in a special ceremony at St. Anthony's Catholic Church.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; three sons, Scott Dalton Frier and his wife, Lyne of Silver Lakes, Calif, James Dalton Gaither and his wife, Michelle,and Michael Dalton Gaither and his wife, Kristine, all of Casper; his sister, Patricia Seward of Ft. Washington, Md., a niece and two nephews; and grandchildren, Straughn, Shay, Warren, Morgan, and Sarah Frier, Danielle, Joshua and Paige Gaither, and another grandchild expected in March by James and Michelle Gaither. He was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Central Wyoming Hospice.