James William Vestal

July 13, 1936 - August 22, 2020

On Saturday, August 22nd, James W. Vestal passed away at the age of 84 at his home in Clayton, CA, surrounded by his family. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, July 13, 1936, to Alice Jessen Vestal and Col. William Miller Vestal. His grandfather, Col. Samuel Curtis Vestal, was the head of the department of Military Science at MIT, from 1931-1937.

Jim was a news photographer and picture editor for seven newspapers, with more than forty years of experience. He was a member of the National Press Photographers Association, since 1956, and a Life Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association.

Jim and his brother Sam developed a passion for photography at an early age, contributing to the Watsonville High School Yearbook, and later to the local newspaper. As young men in the 1950’s, they would photograph musicians and celebrities at the Monterey Jazz Festival and Bing Crosby Pro Am Golf Tournaments at Pebble Beach. After high school, Jim attended the Arts Center in Pasadena, studying photography and photojournalism. After working at the Redding Record Searchlight, he enlisted in the Army, and served as a press photographer for the Stars & Stripes US Military Newspaper in Korea. Jim was awarded Military Photographer of the Year for his work at the Korea Bureau for Pacific Stars & Stripes in 1961, as awarded by the University of Missouri, Encyclopedia Britannica and the Pentagon.

After serving for two years, Jim returned to the Redding Record Searchlight as a photographer. While there, Jim photographed President John F. Kennedy at the Whiskeytown Dam Dedication in Redding, Ca. on September 28, 1963, two months before the president was assassinated. Next, Jim worked for the San Luis Obispo (CA) Telegram-Tribune where he was the National Press Photographer Association's Photographer of the Year for Region Ten, in 1966 and 1967. In 1967, Jim was invited to the Lyndon B. Johnson White House with Lady Bird Johnson, to celebrate an OEO movie titled "Pancho" that was based on, and used his photographs from the Telegram-Tribune, in the new Head Start program, when it got underway in 1965-66.

Jim spent twenty-one years at The Sacramento Union (CA). While at The Union, the newspaper won three national color usage awards from Editor & Publisher Magazine, Best Use of Photographs three times from C.N.P.A., and Picture Editor of the Year 1984, the only time the award was made. The paper was a consistent photography awards winner in the C.N.P.A. annual awards for The Union staff photographers. Jim built his Lake Tahoe cabin with friend and fellow photographer, Owen Brewer (Sacramento Bee). Jim and Ann were avid skiers, and regularly hosted family and friends for annual summer and winter vacations. Jim spent five years as a picture editor at New York Newsday, Long Island, NY. Jim retired as a photo editor from the Contra Costa Times in 1996. In retirement, he taught photojournalism classes for five years at Cal State Hayward, and created and designed 44 photography and travel books on Blurb.com

Jim was a kind, friendly, and personable man, choosing peace and respect for others in his daily interactions and relationships, and in his photojournalism. He helped tell the stories of those who may not have a voice. Jim was preceded in death by his mother and father, Alice and Col. William Vestal, and brother, Sam. He is survived by his wife of over 30 years (together 36 years), Ann Vestal, son, Jason Vestal, daughter, Jennifer Wiley, son-in-law, Jack Wiley, grandson, Henry Wiley, nieces Kim (Bowers) Vestal, Victoria Vestal (Kupper), grand nieces, Sofia Kupper and Hannah Bowers, grand nephews, Holland Kupper and Sam Bowers, brother-in-law, Lee Hoskins, fiancé Kathy Krieger, and niece, Mariah Hoskins Simao, (husband Troy Simao).

You may view some of his photos and books on https://www.blurb.com/user/jimwvestal and https://www.facebook.com/jameswvestal

In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated for a scholarship being set up at Watsonville High School, the “Vestal Brothers Scholarship for Photojournalism” for students of Watsonville High School, 250 East Beach St., Watsonville, CA 95076.