Theodore Lawrence James III
Burial Details
Obituaries
Bailey-Kent Funeral Home
Theodore Lawrence James III, known to friends and family as “Ted” and “Teddy,” passed away peacefully at his home in Eagle, CO, the evening of August 28, 2017. He was surrounded by loved ones and his beloved mountains.
Ted, born December 13, 1957 in Denver, was the grandson of Theodore Lawrence James I, who built a small empire around Grand Lake and Estes Park: a ski resort, the Trail Ridge Store, the Grand Lake Lodge, and a bus service to cart tourists around to his attractions. By the time Ted III graduated from college, the bus route and ski resort were gone, and his parents, Theodore Lawrence James II (Ted II) and Sue Brownlee James Stuart, were in the process of renovating the Lodge after a devastating fire. Ted took over managing the restaurant for three years, developing and directing a dinner theater experience that recruited singing and dancing talent from colleges nationwide.
Ted was an incredibly gifted athlete, a runner, hiker, and skier. He was freestyle skiing when it was first invented; he loved to tell stories about being at the very first Airborne Eddie’s Freestyle Camp. Ted obtained his B.A. in Anthropology from the Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. It was there he met the love of his life, fellow adventurer, and future wife, Elizabeth Hardie (James). They celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary a week before Ted died.
Ted was a lifelong teacher, teaching at the Yosemite Institute for a stretch before settling in to teach, with great passion and originality, science to 7th and 8th graders at East Grand and Eagle County Schools. He obtained his Master’s in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado.
His love of science and nature drew him into partnering with Walking Mountain Science School and River Watch of Colorado, on whose boards he served for several years. One of his pet projects was working with his son and students to protect Eby Creek, a mountain stream near his home that supports rich and diverse wildlife.
One of those rare individuals who excels at just about everything he turns his hand to, Ted was a talented photographer, and he captured his love of the outdoors in countless gorgeous images. His love of photography fueled his love of travel and vice-versa. He and Elizabeth traveled with their children Will and Kat and nephew Bret to Costa Rica, Scotland, Alaska, Hawaii, the Green River, Canyonlands, and the Rocky Mountains, which he knew intimately. In the last two years of his life, Ted was teaching in Bratislava, Slovakia with Elizabeth at Quality Schools International. While there, they skied, hiked, and biked their way through Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Majorca, the Maldives, Greece, Croatia, and Slovenia.
If one had to choose a single word to describe Ted, that word would be “exuberant.” He loved to laugh and possessed a playful and delightfully silly sense of humor. He had no problem poking fun at himself, once circulating a video he took of himself accidentally falling off a slippery log while crossing a mountain stream. Ted was also deeply spiritual, finding inspiration in Nature and the Native American traditions he learned about as a student.
He loved chocolate, he loved dark beer, he loved Nature, he loved music, taking at least one guitar with him everywhere he traveled. He loved his wife and two children so very, very much. He was a remarkable and beloved man. Even though cancer quenched his life force, his spirit remains unquenchable.
Ted is survived by his wife Elizabeth Hardie James, his children, Will and Lakotah Hardie, and Kat James; his siblings Kathy and John Rinker, Reed and Katie James, Kerri and Mike Geary, Richard Hardie and Celeste White, Kathleen Hardie and Joe Stenger; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 pm on Sunday, September 17th, at the Brush Creek Pavilion in Eagle, CO.
Vail Daily page A9 - September 5, 2017
Theodore Lawrence James III, passed away peacefully at his home in Eagle the evening of Aug. 28. Ted is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Hardie James, his children, Will and Lakotah Hardie, Kat James and many loved ones.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Brush Creek Pavilion in Eagle. A full obituary and information about donating to Walking Mountains and/or River Watch of Colorado in Ted's honor can be found at http://www.baileykentfuneralhome.com.
