James Livingston

He is survived by his wife Gwendolyn Hetler of Skandia; his siblings: Robert J. (Marysue Turner-Livingston) Livingston of Berkley, MI; Catherine A. Livingston of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Walter W. (Montel) Livingston of Sequim, WA; and Patrick D. (Janet) Livingston of Grosse Pointe, MI. Also surviving are his children and step-children: Jeffrey Livingston of Waterford; Jennifer (Anthony McMichael) Livingston of Pinckney; Jon Livingston of Marquette; Joel Livingston of San Diego, CA; Robert (Laura Elliott Cook) Cook of Louisville, CO; Martin (Christine) Cook of Memphis, MI; Michael (Karla) Snyder-Barker of Tecumseh; grandchildren: Dustin Livingston of Marquette; Drew Livingston of Marquette; Melinda (Anthony) Guy of Carollton, GA; Jesse (Haley) Woolpert of Byron, MI; Cameron Cook of Chicago, IL; Julien Cook of Evanston, IL; Alyssa (Samuel) Birkett of Power, MT; Grace Cook of Memphis, MI; great-grandchildren: Mallory and Truett Guy of Carollton, GA; brother-in-law Robert (Gail) Hetler of Suttons Bay; numerous nieces and nephews.

Jim was raised in Detroit where he graduated from St. Bernard’s High School after spending his freshman and sophomore years at Sacred Heart Seminary. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Detroit. A short teaching experience followed at a private school. You can learn of his time there by viewing the film Dead Poets Society. Robin Williams, who starred in the film, was a seventh-grade student at the school where Jim was teaching eighth grade. It should be clear why his tenure at the school was cut short if one watches the film. The Dead Poets Society was Jim’s idea.

Jim married Joan Diegel in 1962. Over the next several years they raised four children together. They divorced in 1984. Meanwhile Jim attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he earned a Master’s degree. He attended the State University of New York at Buffalo where he earned his PhD. In 1969 he was hired at Northern Michigan University where he taught in the Department of English until 2007. He often represented the department on the Academic Senate, serving terms as the Chair and as the Secretary. He was well known for his creative recording of the minutes. In addition, he joined the Marquette Choral Society where he soon was asked to write the program notes for publication, a task he enjoyed immensely and which he continued to complete even after he was no longer able to sing with the group.

Jim met Gwen Hetler in December, 1985, and they were married in 1986. Jim retired in 2007 to provide full-time care for his brother Larry who had been living with Jim and Gwen since 1989. Especially in the years since Larry’s death Jim would comment about how his brother taught him the most important lessons that we need to know about life. In 2001 Jim was ordained as an Episcopal priest, serving with others on the Ministry Support Team at Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Little Lake. In his spare time Jim enjoyed listening to music in his study while smoking his pipe. He also taught himself to knit, eventually creating sweaters for many family members and friends.

Learning that a green burial was now an option in Marquette, Jim and Gwen purchased plots, and Jim’s body was interred on August 28. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, October 12, at 1pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Marquette and also at 11am on October 26 downstate at Christ Church, 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd, Grosse Pointe, MI, 48236.

In Jim’s honor please consider donations to Marquette Choral Society, PO Box 204, Marquette, MI 49855 or Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter, (UPAWS) 815 South M-553, Gwinn, MI 49841.

Canale-Gwinn Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family where memories of Jim may be shared at canalefuneral.com.