James Ernest Gillespie Jr., 85, Professor Emeritus of clarinet who was well known for his service to his profession and his excellence as a teacher, died June 18, 2026, in Denton.

He learned music at a young age and carried that passion throughout his life. He earned his bachelor’s degree from what was then Concord College in West Virginia and continued his education at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he earned master’s and doctoral degrees in woodwinds, with clarinet as his principal instrument. It also was there that he met his future spouse, vocalist Cheryl Hopkins (’80). They were married for 57 years before her death last year.

Jim taught music at Concord, the University of Redlands and the University of Louisiana at Monroe before joining the faculty at North Texas in 1978. In his 33 years with the College of Music, he wrote books that became standard references, was named a Regents Professor and was known as an inspiration to his students. He is remembered for his warmth, humor and patience.

Beyond the classroom, he served for 37 years as editor of the International Clarinet Association’s quarterly journal, The Clarinet, and was honored by the ICA with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. He was a featured soloist at the 1985 debut of the Dallas Winds, then known as the Dallas Wind Symphony, and performed across North America, Asia and Europe.

Jim and Cheryl enjoyed a retirement spent traveling around the world. At UNT, they established the James E. and Cheryl Gillespie Clarinet Scholarship Fund to support future generations of musicians, and memorials may be made to that fund.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. July 28 at Cole Chapel, First United Methodist Church, 201 Locust St., Denton.