James R. Wylie III ’51

James R. Wylie III ’51, described by family and friends as an “adventurer, bush pilot, poet, geologist, farmer, and storyteller,” died on August 18 at his home in Meridian, Idaho. Jim was a squash player and a member of Delta Tau Delta at Dartmouth. His major in geology led to a 12-year stint as a senior geologist with Gulf Oil Co. He lived for part of that time in Alaska and became fascinated with that part of the world. He fancied himself an old-school prospector and through the years located several deposits of platinum, gold, tungsten, and mercury in extremely remote areas. He learned to fly, drilled wildcat oil wells, and consulted as a geologist. Later in life he became a building contractor, developer, and property manager, often working alone and constructing one building each year. He also got into farming and managing farms in the state of Washington. Jim had a passion for adventure; among other activities, he logged 7,000 hours as a bush pilot in the Northwest. Said Jim: “It seems I have always had a project.” He developed a love of poetry and drama, discovering the joy of appearing on stage. He also became a fine fiction writer and storyteller. He and his wife Marge, who predeceased him, traveled nearly every corner of the globe together. Jim is survived by two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. His father, James, class of 1919, and uncle, John, class of 1923, were both Dartmouth graduates.