A Life Well Lived - Jimmy Gill

Jimmy Gill was born in St. Paul on June 12, 1937. He moved to California from Minnesota and later settled in Nevada, where he fell in love with Virginia City. Jimmy enlisted in the Air Force (1950 - 1953), where he worked on a team that maintained the engines for the first rocket to reach the moon. However, during a test, he suffered hearing loss, which led him to become a military photographer and DJ during the Korean War. Jimmy was a guest of Honor Flight in 2016.

His journey eventually brought him back to California, where he co-owned a Mexican restaurant, Senor Corky's, with one of his two brothers and also worked as a hairstylist in Southern California. Nevertheless, his passion for photography never waned. He captured many upcoming artists at the world-famous Troubadour. A huge fan of Jimi Hendrix, he even changed his name to "Jimi" after meeting the legendary guitarist. One of his most surreal experiences was being invited to a party by his friend Sharon Tate. He had to decline the invitation due to a prior commitment to a photo shoot, which ultimately saved his life, as that night was infamously tragic.

One of his cherished holiday memories took place on Christmas Eve while he was traveling and shooting pictures. When the weather turned severe, he found himself stuck in the snow in a tiny town called Bodie, now a historic ghost town. He knocked on the door of a caretaker's house, and the family invited him in, allowing him to spend Christmas with them. That holiday felt particularly special to him, and Bodie became a place he revisited at least once a year—many thanks to Jimmy's friend Christine for sharing these stories of his life.

Jimmy's favorite area to photograph was along Highway 101, starting from the California border up the Oregon coastline to Astoria. He discovered numerous small towns filled with bookstores and gift shops, where he sold his famous bookmarks. Many of these bookmarks were crafted from his photographs, including beautiful images of Yosemite Park with quotes from his favorite author, Mark Twain. This creative endeavor and his love of photography were among the things that drew him to Virginia City. Jimmy was considered a true VC Character by many, including his friend Joe Curtis. The two shared a love of photography and reading. Joe said they met in Silver City in 1971, the heart of the hippy movement, and they maintained their friendship over the years.

Many of his friends say Jimmy was always kind to everyone. Karen Woodmansee shared that one day, Jimmy took the time to drop off a newspaper for her husband, Carl. Jimmy noticed Carl needed medical attention, called 911, and assisted Carl until responders arrived. Karen is forever grateful for the five additional years she had with Carl due to Jimmy's kindness.

Jimmy was a member of the Evans-Kendall VFW Post 8071 in Virginia City, and will be missed by all who knew him. Jimmy Gill passed away on Jan. 12, 2026.