The Story

Obituary for Jack LeRoy Orman of Loveland
Jack L. Orman, 90, passed away from natural causes on March 22, 2020 at LeMay Avenue Health & Rehab Facility in Fort Collins.
Jack was born Feb. 21, 1930 in Brazil, IN to Roy Loncer Orman and Ruth Elizabeth Anderson. He received his BFA at University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1953 before his enlistment in the United States Army. Jack served as a first lieutenant in the Fourth Armored Division, 197th Armored Artillery Battalion in Fort Hood, Texas from 1954 to 1956. Even though he suffered severe damage to his hearing during this service, which he endured throughout the rest of his life, Jack valued his time in the service highly.
He then returned to the Midwest earning an MFA, and DFA at the University of Iowa studying with renowned Argentinian printmaker Maricio Lasansky. It was during his time in Iowa that he also met his wife, fellow artist, and lifelong soulmate Caroline Louise Nadelhoffer. He married Caroline on August 22, 1959 at the Nadelhoffer family dairy farm near Downers Grove, IL. The couple then moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado with a new child in tow to raise and grow their new family and begin a new teaching position at Colorado State University. In 1965 Jack moved to Loveland, Colorado, where he lived the rest of his life.
Jack helped establish the printmaking department at CSU in the early 1960’s and taught classes in printmaking and drawing. He encouraged an environment of great energy, passion, personal growth, and creative freedom within the printmaking department and classes he taught. His personal focus was primarily intaglio techniques with a special emphasis in copper engraving. He was also an accomplished sculptor working in forged, welded steel and carved wood. Jack’s career spanned 5½ decades with a range of subject matter that included Old Testament characters, animals, figures, landscapes, still lifes and portraits. Jack considered Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Lasansky and the Italian sculptor Donatello as his primary influences but had a style that was singularly his own. Jack’s artwork was shown in several exhibits over his career including: Mauricio Lasansky and Printmakers of the Iowa Workshop Tradition, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 1976. Iowa to Colorado-A Printmaking Tradition, Loveland Museum, Loveland, Colorado 1988. McNeese National Works On Paper, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana 1989. The Professor Prints-CSK Gallery, Denver, Colorado 1994.
Some notable sculptures: Joshua (welded steel, Anatomy Building CSU), Archangel Gabriel (welded steel, private collection), Judith (carved apple, private collection)
Some noteworthy prints: The Big Fish (copper engraving, 2 editions, Library of Congress, private collections), Iguana (copper engraving), Portrait of Lasansky (copper engraving), Portrait of Caroline (drypoint), The Archangel Michael (engraving, etching, soft ground, multi-plate/color), The Fall of Lucifer (etching, soft ground, multi-plate/color)
Jack was also a luthier, primarily building classical guitars, which he also enjoyed playing until his hearing loss prevented it. One of his favorite pieces to practice and play was “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” by Spanish composer and guitarist Francisco de Asís Tárrega y Eixea. On any given day in his home, studio or shop one could hear Pavarotti, Bach, Segovia or some other favorite musical piece playing in the background.
Jack was an all-around craftsman, who built with his wife Caroline a lodge pole pine cabin in the nearby mountains using only a chainsaw and hand tools. The family enjoyed weekends and summer vacations at the rustic retreat, and it was the scene of many gatherings with family and friends. He also loved Italy, Spain and Mexico. He and his family spent 3 months exploring Mexico in the mid 1970’s and he taught a printmaking/art history class in Italy in the mid 90’s as part of CSU’s study abroad program. He loved Barcelona for its culture, wine and of course the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. Jack enjoyed backpacking, hiking, hunting and fly fishing in the nearby Rockies and its rivers. A camera replaced his rifle later in life and his fly rods were passed down to grandchildren once his balance got too bad to wade safely, but he never tired of the splendor of the West, especially Colorado’s varied landscapes.
He is deeply missed, but his spirit lives on in his artwork, and his family, and his friends, and the numerous students who walked through the door into that bustling room filled with the aroma of hot asphaltum and plate oil.
Jack’s wife Caroline died shortly after his passing. He was preceded in death by his sister Eleanor Markham (Bill). He is survived by sons Daniel Orman (Lisa) and Evan Orman (Michelle), and grandchildren Emily Orman and Jack Orman and step-grandson Rainer Eudeikis (Joyce). He is also survived by niece Carolyn Goodall and nephew Perry Markham.
At this time, a celebration of life is not able to be planned but will be as soon as it is safe to travel and gather. In lieu of flowers please consider a gift to Parkinson's Foundation at https://www.parkinson.org/ or an animal shelter of your choice. The family welcomes your memories, pictures or other loving thoughts.

Written by Daniel A. Orman, 2020