James R. Greer

James Greer passed away on May 2, 2015, at Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, with Marilyn Kaiser, his wife of 36 years by his side. Jim was born December 1939 in Kansas, reared in Morrison and Denver, Colorado, and graduated from South High School in Denver. He attended the University of Northern Colorado where he served in the Air Force Reserve Officer Corps, and graduated with a bachelor of arts from the University of Denver. In Morrison in his formative years, he roamed the Red Rocks area, the Bear Creek Valley, and the Hogback. It is there where his boundless love of nature was born, instilled by a fly fishing, horseback-riding mother, Mary Bessie, and a grandfather who taught him to hunt. He spent summers outdoors from sunrise to sunset rock climbing, hiking, fishing, reading and daydreaming. His father, John, worked construction all of his life and taught Jim many skills of the trade. In addition to Marilyn, he is survived by and the proud father of daughters Holly McConnell and Courtney Dressler, and son John Greer; grandchildren Lauren & Katie Dressler, Ryun & Madison McConnell, and Cameron Turner; siblings Mary Ann Murphy, Dan (Jacque Purcell), and Dianne Alcantara (Lanny). He was preceded in death by his parents and daughters, Michelle Greer and Heather Turner. Jim worked in a variety of jobs and professions. Some of his favorites included: working for the park service at Mesa Verde National Park in archaeology; elementary school teacher in the Denver Public Schools; teaching at Denver Community College and the University of Colorado; various jobs in Colorado State government including Budget Director for three governors, Director of Internal Audits for the Department of Institutions, and Manager of Construction for group homes for the disabled. His book jacket describes what happened to Jim at age 40: “…Jim Greer was haunted by the kind of dreams that afflict people…dreams of running away from respectable careers to live intensely, on the edge, by the sweat of your brow and the skin of your teeth.” He and Marilyn chose Gunnison, Colorado, a location high in the central Colorado Rockies containing wilderness and outdoor opportunities beyond belief. Jim’s diverse set of skills, talents, characteristics and abilities, including his love of cooking, storytelling, teaching and his outdoor skills, his sense of humor, and love of animals, people and nature created for the families and hunters incredible experiences in the high country. Jim took a hiatus from guiding and outfitting and was hired as Business Manager and Budget Director for Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison and loved working with the students and their parents, faculty and staff for 5 years. He then returned to guiding and outfitting and running a 60+ horse stable for years. In 1998 he and Dr. Charles Miller, Professor Emeritus at Western State College of Colorado, submitted a book for publication to the Colorado University Press. The book, Riding West: An Outfitter’s Life was published in 1999. Jim was a voracious reader of archaeology, anthropology, biography, history, science, classic literature, and fiction, with a special regard for Hemingway, and tried to instill in his high country clients, as well as anyone who’d listen, an appreciation of the past, as well as the geography, geology, flora and fauna of the Gunnison Country. Jim was a captivating storyteller. One of Jim’s favorite sayings was, “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.” Jim lived his life passionately and was not afraid to try his hand at new skills and adventures throughout his life. Jim and Marilyn traveled, camped and hiked throughout the US, Scotland and Ireland, with countless camping trips to Eastern Utah and archaeological sites in the four corners area. Jim loved motorcycles, scooters, x-country skiing, and biking. He appreciated jazz, folk music, saddle songs, classical and bagpipe music. Because of health issues, Jim and Marilyn had to relocate from their beloved home in Gunnison, County, Colorado, at 8000 ft, and in 2011-12 traveled the Western US searching for a new home at a lower elevation in their Airstream (another adventure!). When they stopped in St. George, Jim was enchanted by the beauty of Zion National Park, and once they found the Sun River community, they knew they had reached their “place of refuge.” During the last year, his life had become much too narrow for his liking because of health issues. He continued, however, to meet each day with enthusiasm and love of life until his big, beautiful heart quit him. A friend long ago bestowed on Jim something descriptive of Jim’s life. The quote is from the Dhammapada, a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form: “Few among men are they who cross over to the further shore. The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.” Jim cared deeply for animals. In lieu of flowers, please donate in his name to your local animal welfare organization. Jim will be cremated in St. George. Family and friends may share condolences and memories online, upload photos and video, and/or share on Facebook at the following website: www.SerenityStG.com. **************************************************************************************************************** Jim Greer Memorial: A gathering of friends of Jim Greer will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 12, 2015 in Gunnison County, Colorado on the deck at Harmel's Ranch Resort on the Taylor River. ****************************************************************************************************************

James R. Greer

December 17, 1939 - May 2, 2015