VANCOUVER—Typographer and graphic designer Jim Rimmer died on Jan. 8 at age 75 following a year-long battle with cancer. Born and raised in Vancouver, Rimmer created many original typefaces in addition to enjoying a long freelance design and teaching career.



Rimmer founded Vancouver-based Pie Tree Press more than 10 years ago and used his own letterpress to design original fonts including Lapis and Cadmus. His autobiography, Leaves from the Pie Tree, was published in 2006.

Richard Kegler, founding partner of Buffalo, N.Y.-based type foundry P22, says he visited Rimmer two years ago to shoot a documentary on his work. The film will detail Rimmer’s work on Stern, the first font to be released in metal and digital formats simultaneously. “As I was telling a fellow type designer today,” says Kegler, “if you take away everything that he did, it is a tremendous loss. He was an amazing person.”

Details on memorial ceremonies will be posted as they become available.