James Patrick Gander

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James Patrick Gander

November 30, 1930 ~ October 12,2021

James (Jim) Patrick Gander passed away peacefully at his longtime home in Salt Lake City on October 12, 2021. Jim was born on November 30, 1930, in San Francisco, California to Edward and Agnes Donaldson Gander. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School as student body president and captain of the varsity football team. Jim received his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1953 from St. Mary’s College of California, where he was senior class secretary; and received his master’s degree and PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Jim served as a professor of economics at the University of Utah for over five decades. He also had a productive research career resulting in publications in a wide variety of respected journals. One of Jim’s notable contributions was assisting in establishing a faculty exchange program with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He remained active professionally as professor emeritus, with a timely publication in the spring of 2020 on COVID-19 modeling prediction approaches and decision-making.

Jim built a cabin from the ground up, by himself, in the Silver Fork area of Big Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City. He loved his perennial travels to the Moab Music Festival, San Clemente, California and the East Cast to visit family.

Jim served honorably in the United States Army, where he was a member of the Counterintelligence Corps during the Korean War while stationed in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. He was a parish council member of the Newman Center, where he also served as co-chair of the Diocese Development Drive.

Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years Anita Moore Gander; sister Therese; children Mark, Barb (Steve Keyser) and Sue Gander (Todd Dorrien); and grandchildren Madde (Aidan Williams), Erin, Sara, Mia, Liam and Daniel (mother, Katya Frischer). Jim is preceded in death by his parents, John Gander (brother), Catherine Dunn (sister) and John Joseph Gander (baby).

A celebration of Jim’s remarkable life will be on Friday, November 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. A Mass will be celebrated in his honor on November 6, at 10 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center, with a graveside ceremony to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 4th Avenue T Street, Salt Lake City.

The family requests in lieu of flowers to consider a donation to the National Park Foundation or Save our Canyons. The family thanks all the wonderful caregivers from the University of Utah Hospital and Community Nursing Services.