Provincetown summer resident James Piehler died on Dec. 4, 2024 from complications of a fall at his home in New Jersey. He was 94.

Jim was born on Nov. 10, 1930 in Merrill, Wisc., the fourth of five children of the Rev. Walter Piehler and Irma Dassow Piehler. He earned a degree in chemistry from Valparaiso University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.

He left the Midwest for the East Coast, working in technical sales and service for various companies that served the paper-making, starch, and food-processing industries, including Clinton Corn, ADM, Nabisco, and Kraft. He was a “tinkerer” with an original and inventive spirit, and his basement was the site for many activities. He created a beautiful garden sanctuary at his New Jersey home, where his wife, Claudia, and daughter still feel his presence.

Jim and Claudia first visited Provincetown when they married in 1961 and fell in love with the town. Claudia often said they wanted to go as far as they could, to land’s end, and they loved the bohemian and free-thinking community they found at the Prince Freeman Apartments in the West End with the Dahill family.

Jim learned to sail under the tutelage of Ed Dahill, and time on the water was an important part of summers on the bay, living by the tides with his beloved sailboat Le Bateau, and enjoying the camaraderie of the neighborhood. He enjoyed fishing and sailing, taking part in the Blessing of the Fleet, and spending time at Herring Cove, in the National Seashore sites, and at the Wellfleet Audubon Sanctuary.

In later years, Jim, Claudia, and daughter Liana lived in the East End, which strengthened their connections to the art community. Jim worked in many mediums, from jewelry (lapidary and silver creations), stained glass, photography, and Polaroid transfers to white-line woodblock prints. He appreciated classes and was inspired by fellow artistic souls at PAAM and Castle Hill.

The years spent in Provincetown sustained Jim and his family, and these connections continue to do so, even from a distance, for Claudia and Liana, his survivors.

Donations in Jim’s memory may be made to the Provincetown Art Association and Museum or to St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown.