We Will Miss You, Jim

Jim Delisle was a passionate, child-centered leader in gifted education for more than 40 years. He championed the social and emotional development of the gifted.

We met October 25, 1984, at The Roeper School. We were both on the Editorial Review Board for Roeper Review. In those days, The Roeper School held an annual meeting for the reviewers and involved them in a conference on parenting the gifted the next day. Jim adored Annemarie Roeper and called her his “adopted grandmother.” 

Jim deeply appreciated everyone in his world—especially children. His presentations were so moving that there wasn’t a dry eye in his audience. He always gave examples from the children he worked with. Although he was a university professor for most of his career, he chose to spend one day a week teaching gifted middle schoolers. In 2020, I introduced him for a virtual discussion he had with teens from Fairview High in Boulder. He wanted to know how they were coping with COVID. No one talked with teens the way Jim did. They felt deeply seen. He made a difference in the lives of thousands of gifted children all over the world. His 250 publications, including 20 books, will continue to inspire gifted children, parents, and professionals for generations to come.