James Paul Colando

high school, Jim was a gifted science student. In the 10th grade he won 1st place in the Michigan

Science Fair, followed by 4th place in the National Science Fair with his construction of a Cloud

Chamber. In 1961 he was awarded a full scholarship in Nuclear Physics to attend the University

of Michigan. After two years at U of M he decided that he was not interested in the destination

he saw in nuclear physics and transferred to Eastern Michigan University, where he completed

a degree in English and began a teaching career which spanned over 30 years.

Establishing the tenor of his career as an English teacher, he was confronted by members of the

John Birch Society during his first teaching position in Milford, Michigan, where he successfully

defended the inclusion of rock and roll as part of his teaching. He taught in Milford for two

years before going to Michigan State University as a Graduate Assistant in the English

Department. While at MSU, Jim earned his Master’s Degree. After Graduate School he went to

teach in Mason, Michigan. Eventually he transferred to East Lansing High School, where he

remained until he retired from his teaching career. As a teacher, he was a singular voice

teaching creative writing and demonstrating a deep love and respect for the creativity of

language and its ability to elevate those who pursue it in its many forms.

Jim’s impact as a teacher was far ranging and deep, and led to the creation of many lifelong

friendships. In 1984 he was named English Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Education

Association, a recognition of his advocacy for the power of the language arts.

Though he had a deep and abiding love for the written word that never waned, in the early 70’s

Jim began what may have been his driving passion: photography. After selling a large part of

his vast record collection, he invested in photography, setting up a darkroom in the basement

of the family home where he spent many long nights over the following years, the sound of

music drifting up through the house. He once described the first experience of watching an

image coming into existence on paper as a magical event that changed his life forever.

Photography became a central part of him and he spent the rest of his life in pursuit of the

images he saw in the world, and in his mind. He shared his love of photography widely and

taught classes at the East Lansing Arts Workshop for many years, where he encouraged others

to pursue a life of seeing.

Jim was also passionate about music. As a lover of music, he was constantly listening, and a

seemingly endless stream of music was an ever present part of life with him, a love he passed

on to as many as he could. His life could be a definitive answer of YES to the question David

Bowie asked when he wrote: “Don’t you wonder sometimes about sound and vision?” We are

all better for his having done so.

Jim is survived by his wife of 36 years, Shirley Robertson, his three sons, Chris & Kevin Colando

and Paul Robertson Klein, his brothers Dave and Tom Colando, and five grandchildren, Anna &

Finn Colando, Ciara Cheli, Bryn Cheli-Colando, and Jackson Henry Klein.

A kind and generous soul, Jim will be deeply missed.

There are no plans for a memorial at this point. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to

the Greater Lansing Food Bank or http://adoptive.org/donate/Eli.