University News
James Calhoun Obituary
August 1, 2022
MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University Professor Emeritus James R. Calhoun, passed away Thursday, July 28, in Macomb.
Cremation rites have been accorded and a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at the First Presbyterian Church of Macomb. A family visitation will begin at 10 a.m. that day at the church.
Calhoun began working at WIU in September 1965, teaching math. After leaving to pursue a master's degree in computer science in the 1980s, he returned to WIU in 1986 to teach computer science, and, in 1989, he became the founding director of Academic Computing at the University. He retired from WIU in 1995, and he and his family brought the Internet to Macomb by starting Infobahn Outfitters, eventually expanding to nine surrounding small towns, as well as several schools.
While at Western, Calhoun received a Distinguished Service Award (1991) and several departmental awards for Excellence in Leadership, Outstanding Teacher (Graduate and Undergraduate).
Calhoun is survived by his wife, Judy; two children, Julie Hannen, who is retired from the WIU Libraries, and Jeff Calhoun, director of University Technology at WIU's Quad Cities campus; two grandchildren, Amber and Alex; three great-grandchildren, Briar, Oliver and Himiko; two brothers, Tom and Sam; and 11 nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to University Technology, in care of the WIU Foundation, 1 University Circle, in Macomb, or to the First Presbyterian Church of Macomb, or to Alzheimer's Disease research.
For additional obituary information, visit clugston-tibbitts.com.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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