Arielle Griffin

James Skadden

The Springs Funeral Services - Platte

Frances Sitterley

All-States Cremation - Wheat Ridge

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James (Jim) Timothy Skadden, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 after suffering a heart attack at home and being rushed to Memorial Central hospital in Colorado Springs.  He was a resident of Colorado Springs for more than 50 years. Jim, or Tim, as his siblings and parents called him, was born on April 27, 1944, the fourth child of six to Dorothy Lucille Armes Skadden and the Reverend William Emil Skadden in Champagne-Urbana, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, Ed Thomas, and three of his siblings, William S. Skadden, Mary Beth Skadden Hutchinson, and Rose Marie Doty.

If your kid is obsessed over the moon, don’t worry - it’s probably only a phase.

Jim grew up in Springfield, Illinois, where he and his siblings spent their childhoods exploring the surrounding meadows and woods, riding neighbors’ horses, climbing trees, swimming in numerous creeks and ponds, and generally trying not to get caught by their mother doing things they weren’t supposed to do. She had a legendary and magical snap of her fingers that reportedly was able to control all of her children during church services. Jim learned many skills during this time, including shooting, playing the drums, gymnastics, and dancing. Jim always had several jobs, including paper routes, working in Allen’s Cigar Store, and playing drums in a tavern (as a 16-year-old).

He was a great photographer because he was so focused.

Jim was encouraged by his father to look at different places for college, he saw a pamphlet and pictures of the University of Denver, and decided it looked like a good place to go. While studying Math and Science there, he was singing in a choir, when the student conductor asked “the short baritone in the back to please stand on a chair so she could see him”, and this conductor turned out to be the love of his life, Vanda Sue Sydenham. They were married on June 8, 1964 at the Evans Chapel on the campus of DU. They moved to Rantoul, Illinois, where Vanda taught school and Jim went to the University of Illinois, and then to Decatur, where Jim finished his degree from Millikin University in 1966.

Without Math, things just don’t add up.

Jim and Vanda decided to move back to Colorado and immediately found teaching positions in Widefield School District #3, where Jim worked for 32 years as a science/mathematics teacher, teaching Math, Science, Physics, Astronomy, and Photography. He also coached gymnastics for three years. Jim and Vanda had two daughters, Javan and Gayla, who grew up having both of their parents as their school teachers numerous times throughout their school career. While parenting and working as a teacher, Jim also obtained his realtor’s license in 1976, and worked as a realtor for more than 45 years.

What does a star win in a competition? A constellation prize.

A beloved and favorite teacher by thousands of students, Jim was selected as Widefield School District’s Teacher of the Year in 1989, and was the Runner Up for Colorado’s Teacher of the Year in 1990. He retired from teaching in 1999.

The old physics teacher found retirement difficult; he felt like he had lost momentum.

Jim played drums in dance and jazz bands his whole life. He performed in six Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, having lead roles in three of them, including the Major-General in Pirates of Penzance. He played percussion in the Pikes Peak Philharmonic, and toured Europe twice with the Pueblo Symphony. He sang in the Good Shepherd UMC choir for more than 40 years. Jim was always active in the community, having been at times the President of the Widefield Education Association, Secretary of the Pikes Peak Education Association, President of the Fountain Valley Rotary Club and the Rampart Range Rotary Club, President of the Widefield School District #3 Credit Union, Chairman of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Administrative Board, and Secretary of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. He continued selling real estate into his 70s, and he and Vanda enjoyed being ushers at the Pikes Peak Center during their retirement.

I would tell you a physics joke, but it’s about gravity, and it might bring you down.

Jim was an amazing father and grandfather, and he enjoyed helping to raise his grandchildren. He loved children, and could frequently be found making silly faces and noises to amuse babies. He was a notorious storyteller, punster, and was reliable for spouting terrible, groaner dad jokes. He was always available to help, no matter the type of help needed, and was a master procrastinator as well as a master teacher. He was in fewer pictures than everyone else because he was invariably the family photographer. He enjoyed music and people, and perpetually had a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face, and a joke to tell you.

Jim is survived by his wife, Vanda, his sisters Nancy Feld of Sturgeon Bay, WI, and Leah (Jack) Fink of Floral Park, NY; his brother-in-law John Sydenham; his daughters, Javan Skadden Carson and Gayla (Tony) Skadden Grzegorczyk; and his grandchildren, Quinn and Riley Carson, Madeline Flack, Julia Grzegorczyk, and Taylor Santos, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

A celebration of Jim Skadden’s life will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 2:00PM at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 1201 Leta Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80911.

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James Jim Skadden Obituary | Altogether