jim gaston Ask Jim Gaston “How are you doing?” and he would reply, with that mischievous Gaston grin, “I got up today!” What he really meant was that he was alive, going to get as much out of life that day as possible and he said that right up until the end. Jim Gaston was a legend in his own time. He understood tourism as an industry before the state did. He was a marketer and he even understood that before the state did. Jim was always one step ahead. Advertising, the Internet, social media were just a few of his cutting-edge legacies. He was there before us all and telling us we should be there too. His greatest accomplishment was taking a small troutfishing camp on the White River to "America’s #1 Trout Fishing Resort" and dragging tourism in the state of Arkansas with him. Jim was never afraid to speak his mind. With a very quick wit it was unwise to counter him, his smalltown antidotes would always come back in a f lash. Many a politician found that out the hard way. I remember when his e-newsletter would be comments from “Manford” his favorite dog. Written from a dog’s point of view, they could be critical of us humans, chastising, loving, stating simple principles or very to the point. Manford even had his own website and the brains of Jim Gaston. His passions were a life-long list. He was an aerobatic pilot. His instructor, Marion Cole, said his instincts were the best he had ever known. After entertaining at many airshows and walking away from two crashes he hung up his wings. Then he went on to building jeeps, the kind with big tires, big engines and lots of rock-climbing ability. One, he called Snoopy, had this phrase painted upside down on the back: “If you can read this please turn me back over.” It was just Jim. You may know of his generous support of the Arkansas State University Mountain Home campus. It changed the college. Perhaps you have seen some of his collections in the Gaston’s restaurant—bicycles, small outboard motors, antiques, watches and pens. His photography was focused on his travels from around Arkansas to around the country and world. He experimented with different mediums just because they were there. His book, An Ozark Perspective, presented a small sample of his work. What ever Jim chose to do, he did it to the max!
48 | Arkansas Wild ¸ WINTER 2015
PHOTO BY JAYSON COTTER
1941-2015
Spring 2013 Arkansas Wild | 9
Jim was dedicated to the trout fisheries of the White River. He received many honors—the Legacy Award from the Outdoor Hall of Fame, of which he was also a member—Executive of the Year from Arkansas Business, Tourism Hall of Fame, and too many others to list here. I was there the night Jim received the Tourism Person of the Year award at the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism. As he stood at the podium in his seldom-worn gray suit, he thanked the audience for the honor and told them that the best thing that ever happened to him in his life was meeting his wife Jill, and then sat back down.
By Mike Mills