James Morgan Buttram

1942 - 2019

1942 - 2019 Husband, father, grandfather, artist and lover of nature, James Buttram passed away 8 years after being diagnosed with melanoma. With the exception of the time he spent in the military he has been a proud Angelino his entire life. He graduated from Inglewood High School and California State University Long Beach. In the summers he worked as a wrangler and counselor on a cattle ranch in north eastern Arizona. This experience was a high point of his youth. Following graduation he spent 2 years as a Navy welder on the carrier USS Kitty Hawk. He received recognition for his work and consequently was given extra freedom when in port. This gave him time to explore more of the country and learn about the local arts. He continued those far-flung adventures throughout his life. After the navy he apprenticed for 6 years with Jack Prentice, a master jeweler. He then opened a small design studio and in time Equus Gallery and Studio which he ran along with his partner, Susan Lobue, until 2017. For a time he had a second business, raising and selling exotic birds. Jim took an interest in eco-friendly building materials ultimately building his own home. Juggling work and construction the project took he and his wife, Dorothy, over 10 years to complete. He then moved on to the backyard where he created an eastern woodland, in the heart of LA. He loved his garden and spent many happy hours there. He is survived by his wife Dorothy; brother, John Buttram; daughter, Jennifer Chartrand, and granddaughter, Kaitlyn Chartrand. There will be a life celebration at the South Coast Botanic Gardens on June 5th from 4 to 7. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations go to Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA.