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| Official portrait, c. 1960 |
Born 2 May 1928 at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington
Died 12 March 2003 at Edmonds, Washington
Jim was the son of the late Joe Thomas and Marie (Ayer) Van Horn of Tolt, now Carnation, Washington. He was educated at the public schools at Tolt; received a B.A. from the University of Washington; the Master of Arts in Musicology from Cornell University; and, Doctor of Music and Director of Musical Arts, again from the UW. For several years he served the music faculties of Carleton and Concordia Colleges in Minnesota as an instructor before returning to the Pacific Northwest.
Mr. Van Horn was the first paid conductor of the Port Angeles Symphony and brought it from a small group to a standard-sized orchestra. He started the symphony board and Symphony League, as well as promoting affiliation with the American Symphony Orchestra League.
Following his fifteen years (1958 to 1973) as music director of the Port Angeles Symphony he subsequently held the same position with the Bremerton Symphony. During many of those years he held an administrative position with the School of Music at the UW. He also served as music and choral director at a number of Lutheran churches in North Dakota and Western Washington.
He is survived by his wife and best friend, Frances Gail (nee Carns) Van Horn of Mountlake Terrace, sons G. Armour "Van" Van Horn of Whidbey Island, Creighton McComb Van Horn of Thousand Oaks, California, and daughter Sharon Reuter of Seattle; step children Debra Durham, Evergreen Park, Illinois, Richard Hancasky, Aurora, Illinois, and Linda Breeding, Mountlake Terrace, together with twelve grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6215 196th St. SW, Lynnwood on Sunday 23 March 2003 at 3:00 PM. Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to Organ Fund, Trinity Lutheran Church of Lynnwood, Scholarship Fund, School of Music, University of Washington,. Seattle, or the Port Angeles Symphony, P.O. Box 2148, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
A private interment will be held at the Carnation Cemetery.
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