Born on August 25, 1949, Lewis Malcolm (Mike) Totten, 71, of Belle, died unexpectedly November 16, 2020, at the Cleveland Clinic, suffering cardiac arrest after contracting COVID-19 while hospitalized following a long-awaited kidney transplant. Mike’s one-and-only Valentine and loving wife, Mary Martha of Belle; and his beloved son, Mark Leslie, of Charleston, survive and mourn his passing. Mike was a faithful husband; a wonderful father; and an unfailing friend with a giving and generous heart.
Also surviving Mike are his sister, Debbie; brother, George Totten of Marmet; half sister, Marie Leavens Dawson, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; brother-in-law, David D’Antoni; nephew, Andrew D’Antoni of Naples, Florida; and niece, Jennifer D’Antoni, of Peoria, Arizona. In addition, Mike was beloved and cherished by sister-in-law, Barbara G. Arnold of Charleston, and brother-in-law, Roger W. Arnold, of South Charleston along with niece, Marti L. Keeney, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and nephew, Barry Leslie Keeney, of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Additionally, he is survived by niece, Kristin Glancy of St. Albans, and nephew, Patrick Glancy of Indiana.
Mike was preceded in death by his sister, Sue Ann D’Antoni; mother and father, Charlotte and Roy Totten; grandmother and grandfather, Ruby and George Buckley; mother-in-law and-father-in-law, June and Leslie Arnold along with sisters-in-law, Joan Leslie Glancy and Lois Arnold Keeney.
Mike was a graduate of East Bank High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education from the University of Charleston. He was a certified public school teacher, a master electrician, pipefitter, and boilermaker. His selflessness and generosity were known well to his family, friends, and neighbors, to whom he often lent a hand as his expression of love for so many that loved him in return. Mike’s greatest joy was his family for whom he provided and reared; he cherished two trips with his family to the Republic of Ireland and had an enduring love for our state of West Virginia. He was a Vietnam veteran who received the Purple Heart and retired from E.I. DuPont in Belle as an electrical-instrument mechanic after thirty-nine years of faithful service, where he cherished many co-workers he worked alongside for those decades.
Mike was a past president of the Charleston Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America; served as president of the Marmet Hospital Foundation; and was a member of the American Legion. He was instrumental in creating what later became the West Virginia Veterans Memorial that stands on the West Virginia State Capitol Complex.
Because of our desire to protect other families from the tragedy that prematurely took our husband and father, immediate family and friends will meet for a visitation at Stevens & Grass Funeral Home in Malden. All who wish to honor Mike may join the procession departing at 2:15 PM, followed by an outdoor, socially-distanced public service with full military honors, on Monday, November 23, 2020, at 3:00 PM, at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it is mandated by the Governor and the CDC that proper facial coverings be worn and that social distancing be observed.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that those who wish to pay tribute to Mike honor him by donating to the Mountain Mission, Manna Meals, or the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society.
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