James R. Gilder

James "Jim" Robert Gilder, 75 of Westfield Center, OH passed away Sunday, June 23, 2024 at his home, after a long battle with cancer.
He was born in Elyria, OH to the late Robert and Jean (Beesing) Gilder on September 9, 1948. He lived his entire youth in North Ridgeville. Jim attended Bowling Green State University and graduated in 1970 with a BS degree. He first taught at Four County Vocational School in Napoleon, Ohio. As there were no after school activities permitted, this was not a good fit for him. He next became the director of an alternative school in Waterloo, Iowa. Here he met Betsy, the love of his life. Betsy was from Minnesota; Jim was from Ohio; they met in Iowa; got married in Indiana and settled down in Cleveland Heights. Just your typical "boy meets girl" story. Jim next taught at another alternative school, Friends School, located on University Circle. As Friends School became the School on Magnolia and changed its focus, Jim left to pursue a graduate degree. He earned his Master's Degree in Theatre Arts from Case Western Reserve in 1977. That is also the year he began teaching at Cloverleaf High School. He was part of the English Department, but also the drama director. For the next 33 years, Jim directed the Fall play, assisted students in the Winter with the One-Act Play Festival, directed the Spring musical and finished the year by entertaining the five elementary schools in the Cloverleaf district with Children's Theatre. Jim retired in 2010. That is also the year he became the drama director for the Western Reserve Masonic Community Readers Theatre. Jim found that working with the Readers Group was very rewarding spiritually and creatively. He remained their director for thirteen years until his health forced him to step down in December of 2023.
He is survived by his wife of more than fifty years, Betsy; son, Jason (Natalie) of Oceanside, OR; sister, Marcia Orcutt of Lisbon, CT; sister, Nancy of Cleveland, OH; sisters-in-law, Debbie of Amherst, OH, Susan Matthews of Bradenton, FL; uncle, Alan and aunt, Ginny of North Ridgeville, OH; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; in-laws, Vitte and Janice; brother, Gregg; brother-in-law, Marty Orcutt of Lisbon, CT; numerous aunts and uncles.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, July 13, 2024 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Western Reserve Masonic Community Center, 4931 Nettleton Rd, Medina, OH.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice or Cloverleaf Local Schools Drama Department.
Online condolences may be shared at www.parkerfuneralhomes.com