James Capser
May 25, 1948 - April 26, 2020
Obituary
James Clemmens Capser was born on May 25th, 1948 in Lewistown, MT to Robert Capser and Madalyn McCoy. He preferred Jim to James but was always Jimmy to his siblings. To say Jim was a man of many talents doesn't begin to describe the precision, mastery, and artistry he possessed. As an athlete, he was awarded the Amos Alonso Stagg Medal from the University of Chicago as the senior athlete with the best all-around record for athletics, scholarship, and character. He holds degrees from the University of Chicago, Eastern Montana College, and the University of Montana. Professionally, Jim worked as a deputy sheriff, a lawyer, master woodworker and craftsman, software developer, computer and technology specialist, entrepreneur, and owner of multiple businesses. A true renaissance man, Jim never stopped learning and was traveling the world, examining antique European craftsmanship and techniques and would integrate those into his work in construction, cabinet making, and was creating his own hand-made old-world cuckoo clocks. Jim is survived by his wife Linda, siblings Bob (Liz), Bunny (Bob), Mike (Linda), Cathy, Pat (Julie), Harry (Carla), and Theresa (Ken), children Lance (Ranee), Christie (Curtis), Bret (Lauren) and Jana (Spencer), step-daughter Trista (Dean), mother of his children Diane, 17 nieces and nephews, 11 grandchildren, and 2 step-grandchildren. The graveside service will be broadcast live through Zoom on Friday May 1st at 12:30 P.M. A recording will be posted to this page afterwards as well, if you cannot view it live. You may join the webcast below. The password is: capser If you wish to sign up for Zoom, or have already done so, you may join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89849977360?pwd=aTVQc0EzMDIrSnZSTDZSVHJYc1lEdz09 If you do not wish to sign up for zoom, you may join at the link below(with limited functionality): https://success.zoom.us/wc/join/89849977360
Events
There are no events for James yet.
Photos
No photos of James have been shared yet.
Memories
RG
Ron Griep
Other •
What a gentleman, the times I talked with him I was always impressed by his knowledge, and his humble persona! I’ll miss his visits here very much.
PS
Patrick R. Sheehy
Other •
Jim was a great guy and a good friend. He had a wide variety of interests and a lot of valuable skills. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with him. I will miss Jim.
VD
Vicki W. Duanway
Other •
When Jim got out of law school in 1975, he went to work for the firm of Longan & Holmstrom of which I was a member. When Longan died, the firm became Holmstrom, Dunaway & Capser. Jim had a great legal mind and was an excellent attorney and would have gone far in the legal profession. However, Jim preferred woodwork to law work, and in 1980 he had the opportunity to do the woodwork in the Sheraton Hotel which was being built and he couldn't resist. Needless to say the Hotel benefited from his master craftsmanship and it can still be seen in the Double Tree Inn downtown, and the legal profession suffered a big loss. I have known some members of the Capser family for over 50 years and my heart goes out to the entire family during this sad time. Jim excelled in all of his endeavors and his was truly " a life well lived." Vicki Dunaway
JH
James Healow
Other •
Linda and family: Although not very recently showcased, Jim's excellence as a litigator should not go unrecognized. Since all lawyers love war stories, I can offer an insider's view of two examples: When the engineers for the new auto auction site tried to massively price gouge, Jim had me try the dispute to a jury. Even though it was around 30 years after Jim had moved on from his active law practice, that was the closest I have ever come to literally being nothing more than the client's mouthpiece. And it was the least work for me of any case I ever tried--because Jim did pretty much everything for me. Jim knew all the law, all the facts, knew what to pound on, and what to argue. I essentially just parroted what he spoonfed me. We hardly had time for a cup of coffee while the jury deliberated Jim's win. Several years earlier I observed what was probably Jim's last jury trial. Again, maybe 20 years after shuttering his active career, Jim represented a working stiff who had plowed the family jewels into a frozen gravy venture, and was ruined when a refrigeration failure at the locker plant storing his product caused spoilage of the guy's entire investment. The insurance company's lawyer was old stud litigator Neal Keefer, who treated both Jim and his client very dismissively because the plaintiff couldn't even hire himself a real lawyer. Neal never knew what hit him. There was no rust that needed knocking off. Jim out-lawyered Neal at every stage and in every way, and the jury made Jim's client whole. We drifted out of touch over the years, but when our paths did cross Jim always had that big squinty grin and some engaging story to share. I'm going to miss him dearly. So sorry for your horrible loss.
GA
Gary Ahrens
Other •
Jim and I were wrestling teammates at the University of Chicago. Jim was a great wrestler, I was not. We both weighed in the 177 lb class. Naturally he was the team entry for that weight , I went out against the next highest weight class. Jim won, usually with a pin. I won a match or two but usually counted myself happy if I only lost - giving the other team 3 points- instead of being pinned which give them 5. ( A forfeit- no one wrestling for our team - would also give them 5.) The last match of our freshmen year if we won we would have the first winning record in nearly 20 years. Jim and the coach decided I had a chance to win at 177 so Jim wrestled the heavy weight class. I remember Jim told me I could win just before I went out on the mat. We both won by pins- my only pin that year-and won the match. Jim was good guy and the world is diminished without him. He had lots more to give. Although we had not kept in touch, I am sure he enriched everyone who knew him and they are grateful for his life and spirit. Gary Ahrens.
JB
Jim Baillie
Other •
Linda and other members of Jim's family, I came on this site while trying to figure out how to re-connect with him so I could invite him to join in a zoom reunion of UChicago wrestlers of his era and was so surprised. I would have expected him to outlive us all. I am sorry for your loss. I listened to the funeral and it is clear he was beloved by his family. He also was a favorite of his friends and teammates at Chicago. After wrestling at Chicago, and in my last year in law school at Chicago, I would have been the coach mentioned by Gary Ahrens in his post on this page. As Gary said, the team was the best in 20 years. Jim was the best wrestler on the team. He had a subtle smile, almost shy, but he carried himself with great self confidence. He was a joy to be around. As luck would have it, the school hired an assistant coach who was a graduate student who had wrestled with national champions as an undergraduate and was a perfect practice partner and teacher for Jim and Jim progressed rapidly during that year. I could go on with stories of some of his matches, but perhaps this is the place to stop. I do have pictures of Jim when he got the Stagg award, as part of a feature article on him in the school newspaper, and of him wrestling. Please let me know if you would would like any of them. Jim Baillie, jlbaillie@fredlaw.com