Gourley III, Hugh James, age 81, died at Portland Maine Medical Center in Portland on Wednesday, July 25th, 2012. He was born in Fall River, MA, a son of the late Hugh J. and Marcia W. (Ainsworth) Gourley Jr. A 1953 graduate of Brown University in Providence, RI he did graduate work at Yale University Graduate School, Department of Arts in New Haven, CT. He was a SSgt. in the US Army and served at Kagnu Station, Asmara, Eritrea in the Northern East Africa. Brother of Robert (his late wife Susan) Gourley of Barrington, RI and Marcia (her husband Albert) Dalton, of Bonita Springs, FL. He leaves two nieces, four nephews, three grand-nieces and seven grand-nephews. Before going their separate ways he was the husband of Janet (Heller) Gourley of Kittery, ME. His professional experience was extensive starting at Wadsworth Athenaeum in Hartford, CT as a Curatorial Assistant in the summer of 1957. Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, CT in the Department of Prints and Drawings as an Assistant in Research from 1957-1959. The Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI as a Curator of Decorative Arts from 1959-1966. Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, ME as the Carolyn Muzzy Director from 1966-2002. Colby College Museum of Art as the Director Emeritus from 2002 until his passing. He had many articles in the publications of the Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH, The Heritage Foundation, Deerfield, MA, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI, and Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, CT, and articles in periodicals Antiques, Art in America, Journey Through New England (1964, 1965, 1966, 1970 and 1973), Museum Notes at Colby College Library Quarterly and Colby College Museum Newsletter, also exhibition catalogues. He formerly served on the Board of Advisors, University Art Galleries, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, the Advisory Council, Archives of American Art (Smithsonian Institution), the Board of Governors, Colby College Museum of Art, the Advisory Council, Maine Coast Artists, Rockport, ME, the Maine State Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Augusta, ME and the Board of Trustees, Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts, Deer Isle, ME, and was on the Boards of Advisory Council, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, ME, Board of Directors, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, NY. He received a Life Achievements Award, New York Studio School, in October 2003 and Honorary Ph.D. Maine College of Art, Portland, ME in May 2004. He oversaw construction of the following to the Colby College Museum of Art; Jette Galleries, 1973, Davis Gallery, 1991, The Paul J. Schupf Wing for the Art of Alex Katz, 1996, and The Lunder Wing, 1999. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to c/o Colby College Museum of Art, The Hugh J. Gourley III Memorial Fund, 5600 Mayflower Hill, Waterville, ME 04901. Services are private.