James Kenneth Mateer, 80, died January 2nd, 2011 after a brief illness. He was born in Girard, Ohio, where he graduated from high school in 1948. He attended Carnegie Institute of Technology and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1953. After spending two years in the U.S. Army, including thirteen months in Germany, Jim returned to Western Reserve University where he received his B.S. and M.A. in Art Education in 1958. He taught art in the Midview Local School District in Lorain County for nineteen years and became Art Supervisor for the Elyria City Schools in 1977, a position he held until his retirement in 1987. During his teaching career, Jim was active in several art education organizations. He held various positions including the presidency in the Ohio Art Education Association and the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education. In addition to his full time teaching, he was a part-time instructor at Lorain County Community College for twenty years. Following his retirement from public school education he became an adjunct professor of art education at Baldwin Wallace College where he taught for seventeen years. Throughout his career Jim continued to produce and receive recognition for his own art in a variety of media, primarily colored pencil and block prints. He delighted in working in his spacious studio in Wellington, where he spent a great deal of time exploring new subject matter. In addition to his art, Jim enjoyed performing in and attending theater productions, traveling, and spending time with his family and friends, whom he counted as his greatest treasures. Jim is survived by his wife of 21 years, Virginia (Ginger) Mateer (Rainey), children Shelley Mateer (Tracy Tupman), Jamie Gwin, Melissa Mateer, Ross Mateer, and Kevin Kimes (Sharon). He also leaves eight grandchildren: Sarah and Laura Gwin; Cara, Jimmy, Chase, and Joey Mateer; and Kaden and Chloe Kimes. He was preceded in death by his parents, Isabel (Bruce) and E. Ross Mateer, and by a brother, R. Bruce Mateer. Friends will be received from 6 ' 8 p.m. on Friday, January 7, 2011, at the First Congregational Church, 140 North Main Street, Wellington, where a celebration of Jim's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 8. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts Endowment Fund or the Ohio Art Education Foundation at the addresses listed below: FAVA (Firelands Association for the Visual Arts) Endowment Fund: c/o Community Foundation of Lorain County 9080 Leavitt Rd. Elyria, OH 44035 Ohio Art Education Foundation(OAEF) c/o Dr. Dennis Cannon OAEF President 1867 Knollridge Court Columbus, Ohio 43229