Rip Jim Gaston

[PAKMAN]

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Posted : Monday, 13 July 2015 5:18AM

Jim Gaston, champion of tourism, outdoors legend dies at 73

Sonny Elliott Reporting

 

James A. "Jim" Gaston, owner of Arkansas' renowned Gaston's White River Resort, and Jim Gaston Fountain Pens has died at age 73.

Al Gaston started the legendary Gaston's White River Resort in 1958, with Jim inheriting the operation at the age of 20. At that time, Gaston's consisted of six cabins on 20 acres, and six boats. The complex now spans 400 acres, two miles of river frontage, has 79 cottages, 70 boats and a 3,200-foot airstrip. The resort features a renowned restaurant as well.
An early champion of tourism in the state, Gaston was a lifetime member of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Commission. He served as a president of the group and was commissioner emeritus. He also served as president of the Arkansas Tourism Development Foundation and was a past president of Arkansas Hospitality Association.
Gaston was slated to be honored with the Legacy Award from the Arkansas Outdoors Hall of Fame, which is a project of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Gaston was selected for the honor because of the key role he played in establishing trout fishing in Arkansas.
In 2010, Gaston was honored as the Business Executive of the Year by Arkansas Business and was a 1999 inductee into the Arkansas Outdoors Hall of Fame.
Locally, Gaston served in the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce and many other groups. He was an inductee in the ASU-Mountain Home Trout Hall of Fame. He was named Arkansas Tourism Man of the year in 1985.
Gaston was a philanthropist as well, sponsoring the Gaston Lobby at Roller Hall on the ASU-MH campus, as well as endowing the Gaston Lecture Series at the college.
Gaston is memorialized for all his contributions by the James A. Gaston Visitor Center at the Bull Shoals-Whiter River State Park. The $4.7 million complex covers 15,744 square feet and includes state of the art Environmental Education Learning Center.

Later in life, Gaston became an accomplished outdoors photographer, publishing "An Ozark Perspective", a collection of his work.

 

[Wolverine1]

Rip, Mr Gaston. You will be missed.

[jar]

A great loss.

 

Love them Jim and thanks for commissioning them.

 

http://www.fototime.com/7A367892ECCC6F7/large.jpg

[usk15]

RIP Mr. Gaston

[pen2paper]

Always hoped he would find time to rejoin us.

[trandy]

RIP Sir.

 

I live not too far from the White River Resort.

[Parker51]

Once again I am saddened by another loss to our Fountain Pen Community. My wife purchased a pen from him as a special present for me several years ago and there was a problem with shipping, a rare problem with damage and he addressed it quickly and efficiently without fuss or complaint. I had planned on getting another pen from him, but by then he had withdrawn from selling pens. I too had hoped he might return and commission some more pens. Let this be a lesson to us all. We need to talk to each other more, share more stories and keep this interest a going concern. I for one am going to try to be a little more outgoing in regard to encouraging others to considering a Fountain Pen.

[hari317]

A really sad news. In 2000, it was his informative website that spurred me into finding other online pen lovers.