James Charles Totten

James Charles Totten Pierport, MI (Bear Lake) Passed away, Sunday morning, February 21, 2010 in McAllen, Texas. Jim was born April 7, 1928 in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated high school from Cass Tech, attended Wayne State University, graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Advertising (1952 and a M.A. in Journalism (1961). On May 24, 1952, he married Marilyn Lou Hesselink of Wyoming, Michigan. Jim joined the M.S.U. staff in 1956 as Assistant News Editor for The Continuing Education Service. For 20 of 33 year career he carried the title of managing editor of athletic publications and who handled sports publication production at M.S.U. He has shared in the receipt by Michigan State of 41 national publication awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), including 14 judged "best in the nation". In addition to the football game programs, Totten had helped produce Spartan media guides for all M.S.U. sports, game programs for hockey and men's basketball, athletic recruiting books, individual sports schedule cards, and championship and special event programs. Jim also won the 1988-89 M.S.U. hockey media guide, voted "No. 1 in the nation" by CoSIDA. That same year the football program and the Jenison Field House farewell book also received awards. Jim brought great sports knowledge and interest to his role. As a Spartan undergraduate, he competed in frosh baseball, basketball and boxing, as well as in intramural sports. Following a military stint at The Infantry School, Ft. Benning, GA. and as a platoon leader and information officer with the Army's 25th Infantry Division in Korea where he was editor of the "25th" Infantry Division, The Tropic Lightning" For many years, Jim was a timer for M.S.U. indoor and outdoor track meets. He did statistical work at the U.S. Pan America Games wrestling trials at M.S.U. in 1959, and he was a statistician in the Spartan football and basketball press. boxes for a number of years. The highlight of his service to amateur athletics was working as an editorial supervisor in press operations at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He also worked as a press officer at the U.S. Olympic Festival in Oklahoma City, Okla. Over the years, he's written a number of features for the football programs, including a favorite, "The Complete Tailgate". He also has chaired and spoken at a number of CoSida annual workshop sessions on sports publications. Jim retired from M.S.U. in 1990. Jim and his wife Lynn (Marilyn), enjoyed traveling through Europe, the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico. They both loved the fine arts, jazz music. Jim loved living in East Lansing, then later, Pierport (Bear Lake) on Lake Michigan where he and Lynn retired. They also their loved their winter home at "The Tip of Texas" resort in McAllen, Texas, where tennis "was their Game". Jim also loved animals, birds and nature in general, especially a Wired Haired Terrier named "Meggie". He served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Loon Preservation Assn. He is survived by his wife, Lynn, his three children; Kathleen, Jennifer, Jeffrey, daughter-in-law Phyllis and granddaughter, Fielding, departed brother Ralph P. Totten and family. Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday June 27, 2010 at Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary, 2010 Lake Shore Rd., Manistee, Michigan. 231 723-4042. In regards to memorial gifts, donations may be sent to Interlochen Center for the Arts, PO Box 199, Interlochen, MI. 49643.