James Randel Nuttall

James Randel Nuttall, 77, of East Lansing, MI, died December 17, 2023 of complications from pneumonia, at Hospice of Lansing’s Stoneleigh Residence. Born September 28, 1946 to the late Leonard Wilkins Nuttall MD and Mary Elizabeth Nuttall in Denver CO, Jim grew up in Littleton CO. He attended Colorado Academy and graduated from Lutheran High School before embarking on his secondary education.

Having been born two months premature, he developed retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), which left him legally blind. It caused a delay in the correct diagnosis of his reading problems. He was not a poor reader due to low vision. A diagnosis of dyslexia near the beginning of his sophomore year at Valparaiso University in Indiana set a process in place for all his future years of study. He was not only dealing with low vision, but also severe dyslexia. Students (at first paid by his parents, later Honor Roll volunteers at Michigan State University) read him his textbooks. Jim developed a great memory for facts and oral learning skills. Eventually he had audio recordings made of his textbooks. From vinyl to reel-to-reel to cassette to CDs, technology crept then leapt forward. Digital download is the space age technology Jim lived to experience and enjoy.

Jim completed his BA at the University of Denver after leaving Valparaiso. The next few years were devoted to earning his MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Michigan State University. It would take 10 years due to the accommodations needed for reading. One of Jim’s proudest moments was when they put the doctoral hood around his neck at his MSU graduation. He found that the statistical and data management that he’d done in his PhD prep was what he was most skilled at and enjoyed. He gladly helped many doctoral candidates with this portion of their work. Ultimately, he worked for the State of Michigan for 30 years. He took his disability retirement in 2009 after spending his years as a data specialist and then consultant in the Special Education department. He was diagnosed in November 2008 with ALS, which was eventually altered to include another disease comorbid with the ALS. This was a slower progressing muscle disease known as Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM). The presence of IBM allows some ALS patients to live 12-20 years rather than the typical 2-5 years. Jim and Linda were blessed to enjoy 15 years after diagnosis.

Outside of his educational and professional endeavors, Jim and Linda were members of Edgewood United Church where Jim sang with the church choir. His beautiful tenor voice was wonderful to listen to when he practiced at home. Singing was only one of Jim’s musical accomplishments. He had learned to play both the piano and violin. The only reason he stopped was because of the cataracts interfering with his ability to read the music at the distance required. He threw himself into vocal studies with Richard Fracker, a Metropolitan Opera singer on faculty at MSU. He sang with the Arts Chorale of Greater Lansing for several years, performed recitals with Fracker’s studio and gave his own recital at Edgewood. As a gift for their 30th anniversary last October, Jim and the music therapist from Hospice of Lansing, Ginny, recorded The Prayer for Linda. It was a supreme effort and is now a lasting memory.

If you knew Jim, then you know he embraced new technologies as they quickly developed in the latter part of his life. Jim was reading and writing in retirement, whether he had multiple disabilities or not. He was an earnest and curious lifelong learner. He had an upbeat attitude, an insatiable thirst for knowledge and delved deeply into subjects that interested him. On the rare occasion of a dull moment, Linda could jumpstart a new direction with just a little hint of an idea. Accessibility, in computer lingo called assistive technology, was always a wonder to him at each new turn. He read and tried out many of the new gadgets as they came on the market. Then he wrote a book for others to learn what he knew. In total he had four such useful books published. He continued to have long phone conversations right up to the week of his death with dear friends John Paul McKinney (the best-of-the-best professors), Dennis Keefe (the lunch-bringer and storyteller), and Elliot Wicks (a first reader and editor) about topics of gadgets, technology, reading and wherever their conversations wandered. He reached out for a college student to assist with his second book as college students were his target audience. Masha Johnson became his coauthor and much more. She set up and now runs a website for Jim’s books. Masha helped greatly with publishing and promotion of the books. Big thanks to these friends for filling Jim’s days with high points, help in publishing and support in his writing.

Jim is survived by his cherished wife of 30 years, Linda Marie Roush Nuttall; his stepdaughter Stephanie Marie Goodwin and grandson Alex Joshua Heideman, Jr.; his sister Mary Beth “Boo” Nuttall; sisters-in-law Meg Lamey and Kathy Nuttall; and many, many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brothers Firman “Oz” Nuttall and Leonard Nuttall, nephew Kris Nuttall and two best friends, Mazin Heiderson and Bob Ranger.

A Memorial Service will be held at Edgewood United Church on Saturday April 20, 2024, at 3:00 pm. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to Edgewood Church’s music department in support of our paid tenor or to Hospice of Lansing in recognition of their outstanding care and support during the months they provided for Jim’s needs.

Jim’s blog: jamesnuttallphd.com