James Seigler Jr

James Byrnes Seigler, Jr., 95, of Middletown and formerly of Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, at The Royal Middletown, comforted by his beloved canine companion, Steve.

Born on December 11, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia, Jim was the son of James Byrnes Seigler and Eula Mildred (Blount) Seigler.

Jim was married for 52 years to the love of his life, Ellen O'Neil Seigler, who preceded him in death on May 27, 2025. Together, Jim and Ellen shared a deep love of travel, exploring the United States and abroad. After capturing photographs of their journeys, Jim would return home to transform those memories into beautiful works of art. They especially cherished hiking holidays and spent many extended vacations in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Jim also served his country with honor. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1950 and graduated as an Aeromedical Apprentice from the United States Air Force School of Aviation Medicine at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, in 1951. During the Korean War, he served on active duty as a Staff Sergeant with the 1453rd Medical Air Evacuation Squadron from 1951 to 1954. He later continued his service with the 116th Aero Medical Evacuation Squadron, Georgia Air National Guard, from 1963 to 1967, and received an Honorable Discharge from the Air National Guard of Georgia and the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1969.

Jim's passion for art began at a very young age. He held his first solo exhibition while still in the eighth grade. He attended the Gertrude Hebert Institute of Art in Augusta, Georgia, and earned a degree in Fine Art from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.

After graduation, Jim remained in Sarasota for several seasons designing sets, floats, and costumes for "The Greatest Show on Earth," Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. As a gifted artist, he became well known for his portrayals of circus characters. In 2014, Houston PBS featured him in a segment titled "Circus Days - Art of the Circus."

His circus art and sculptures were exhibited in multiple shows at the O'Kane Gallery at the University of Houston Downtown, with much of the collection later donated to the Ringling Brothers Museum. His paintings were displayed in galleries throughout the United States, are included in numerous private collections, and earned awards in local, regional, and national juried exhibitions.

In 1969, Jim designed the sculpture "Atlanta Rising from the Ashes" ("The Phoenix"), which stands in Woodruff Park in Five Points, Atlanta, Georgia, and was relocated for the 1996 Olympics.

In addition to his artistic career, Jim had a distinguished professional life in retail design. He served as Vice President of Planning and Store Design for Foley's Department Stores in Houston, Texas (now Macy's) for 30 years before retiring in 2000. Prior to that, he worked with Rich's Department Stores in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jim was predeceased by his brother, Andrew Gary Seigler; his sisters, Rosemary Price and Patricia Copley; and his nephew, Dale Copley.

He is survived by his nieces and nephews: Allison Seigler Harrison of Columbia, South Carolina; Rose Ann Snipes and Nancy Newton of Aiken, South Carolina; Peggy Copley of Beaufort, South Carolina; Brenda Wright of Hardeeville, South Carolina; Kathleen Toppa Landry and James Toppa, Jr. of Newport; Mary Toppa and Tom Toppa of Middletown; as well as 11 great-nieces and 6 great-nephews.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Rev. Fr. Juan Torres of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston, Texas, for the compassion and comfort he provided Jim in his final days. They also express deep gratitude to the staff at The Royal Middletown for their devoted care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Royal Middletown Activity Fund, 193 Forest Avenue, Middletown, RI, or to Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 3617 Milam Street, Houston, TX 77002-9535.

Calling Hours will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Memorial Funeral Home on 375 Broadway Newport, RI, from at 2p-3:30pm. A funeral service will take place in the same location on Saturday, March 21, 2026.