James Francis Althoff

James Francis Althoff

Sept. 27, 1946 - June 5, 2022

NASHVILLE, TN -James Francis Althoff passed away peacefully in the arms of his family on Sunday, June 5, 2022, at Nashville VA Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Jim was born in Kenosha, WI on September 27, 1946 to Leon Alfred and Cynthia Virginia (Lee) Althoff.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1968 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications. After graduating, Jim pursued graduate studies in communications at Queens College, City University of New York. From 1968 to 1970, Jim served a tour of duty in the Army in Vietnam.
Following his honorable discharge, Jim studied radio in San Francisco, working as a DJ at KOSO Modesto and KJAZ San Francisco before his first position as a talk show host at KGO AM. Jim moved on to host a talk radio show at KXL and the public affairs television show ""Between the Lines"" in Portland, OR, where he met his wife Andee Beck, then a TV critic for The Oregon Journal. In Seattle, Jim hosted talk radio program ""The Jim Althoff Show"" at KING-1090 for 10 years. Jim and Andee went on to co-host ""The Jim and Andee Show"" at WTMJ Milwaukee and KTRS St. Louis. Jim worked for many years at Classic 99, KWMU Public Radio, and HEC-TV before retiring and moving to Nashville in 2020. He distinguished himself throughout his broadcasting career as a keen interviewer and an informative, entertaining personality.
Jim is remembered by those who loved him as a funny, loving, loyal, generous, and fiercely intelligent man. He and Andee were fortunate to enjoy 38 years of marriage. Raised in the churches of Catholicism and Cubs baseball, he died an atheist and a Cardinals fan. A lifelong smoker, Jim's final years were marked by a prolonged struggle with lung cancer, which ended his life.
Jim is predeceased by his parents and his sister, Nancy Basten. He is survived by his wife, Andrea, daughter Sylvie (m: Jennifer Thomas), son Daniel (m. Drishti Rana), and sister Judy Cefalu. Jim's family requests donations in his name to the American Lung Association or your local public radio station.