Obituary of James R. Rolston

James R. "Jim" Rolston, Jr., 68, passed away at home at 3:33 p.m. on March 3, 2018. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Susan; daughter Tara Rolston and her partner, Donn Wilkins; daughter Jayne Bloemendaal, her husband Ben, and their children, James and Hope. He is also survived by siblings, Bernard (Patricia), Geraldine Dolan (Robert), Elizabeth, Joseph (Theresa), Raymond (Carol), Theresa Castongway (John); and 15 nieces and nephews and 6 great nieces and nephews. Jim was the son of James R. Rolston, Sr. and Elizabeth Pagnam Rolston, both deceased. Jim attended Manhattan College and received a B.S. in Business Administration and Management from Breyer State University in 2003. His 33-year career in the executive management of public utilities included 22 years with Pinellas County. He was also a captain and company commander for the Florida National Guard and retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service. Family always came first for Jim. As the oldest of seven, he was affectionately known as "Sonny Boy" to his mother and siblings. The upbringing he received from his parents enabled him to establish a similar strong foundation for his own family, serving as the rock on whom others relied for answers, guidance, and unwavering support. His grandchildren will carry many happy memories of their Poppy, the experiences he introduced them to, and his willingness to spend one-on-one time exploring their unique interests. Friendships were very important to Jim. One of the joys of his life was time on the golf course with good friends and a great cigar. Golf created an outlet for his competitive spirit. Jim was a former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the East Lake Woodland Country Club and more recently, a member of the Vinoy Men's Golf Association. Jim's journey as an artist began in childhood, but pursuing his passion took second place to a stable career that enabled him to support his family. By the time he retired from Pinellas County in August 2010 he had begun to prepare for his post-retirement life by completing a B.A. in Visual Arts at Eckerd College. When he and Susan moved to St. Petersburg in 2012, he fulfilled his long held dream of becoming a fulltime, working artist. While creating art in rented studios in the Central Arts and Warehouse Arts Districts, he was also collaborating with a designer and a builder to create a dream on Snell Isle - a home that could serve as a gallery for his work and a freestanding studio. His exuberant use of color in large-scale acrylic mixed media paintings and his striking, fired clay sculptures were inspired by the concepts of yin and yang and the teachings of the Tao. Jim's work appeared in juried shows including the Las Olas Art Fair, Sarasota's Festival of the Arts, Art Harvest, and Cool Art. In addition to following his own creative path, Jim was a committed advocate for the growth of the Pinellas County arts communities. He served on the advisory board for the Dunedin Fine Arts Museum; was a founding board member of the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance; and recently became the copresident of the Professional Association of Visual Artists, Inc. A celebration of life Mass will be held on Friday, April 6 at 1:00 pm at St. Raphael Catholic Church, 1376 Snell Isle Blvd., NE, St. Petersburg. Friends may visit with the family at noon at the Church. The family asks that you do not send flowers. They would prefer that memorial contributions be made to the Jim Rolston Emerging Artist Award Fund at the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance(www.stptartsalliance.org).