James Benjamin Grisenti

James Benjamin Grisenti died Feb. 9 of cancer. He was born Dec. 6, 1931, at St. Anthony's Hospital in Denver. He was the son of John B. and Annie C. Grisenti. He was 84 years old. Jim attended St. Joseph's Catholic grade school and high school, graduating in 1949. Jim delivered papers for the West Side Hustler, a neighborhood newspaper, when he was growing up, which is where he developed his love of newspapers, printing, and writing. Jim was drafted into the Army and went to basic training in Missouri in March 1951. He attended topographic school in Washington, D.C. In November 1951, he shipped out to Korea from Seattle on the Private Joe P. Martinez. He landed in Japan on Christmas Day. He traveled by train and boat from Tokyo to Chunchon, Korea, where he was assigned to serve as a printer in the 8218th Topographic Detachment, part of the 10th Corps, which was north of the 38th parallel. In March 1953, Jim was discharged from the Army and returned to Colorado. He went to work for the U.S. Post Office and enrolled in Regis College. After a semester, he transferred to CU, where he graduated in 1957 with a Phi Beta Kappa key and a journalism degree. Jim's first job was as a copy editor for the Catholic Register. He then worked at National Jewish Hospital for two years, doing press releases and feature articles on patients. In 1960, Jim went to work for Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph as a writer in the public relations department. He worked for the Bell System 35 years, including 5 years at Western Electric. Jim, an avid fan of steam railroads, was a member of The Colorado Society for the Preservation of the Narrow Gauge, which was successful in saving 64 miles of narrow gauge track that belonged to the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. This stretch of track became the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway, which runs from Antonito, Colo., to Chama, New Mexico. Jim collected antique printing equipment and handset type. He was proprietor of the Woodside Press, a print shop that resided in his home for over 50 years. In June 1971, Jim married Claudia Baker at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Conejos, Colo., the oldest parish in the state, and they spent their honeymoon riding the Cumbres and Toltec and Durango-Silverton railroads. Jim is survived by his wife, Claudia, and his daughters and their families: Andreatta and Bruce Geerdes and their children, Georgia and Samuel; Adrienne and Joshua Havey and their children, Ruth, Josephine, Anna, Mary and James. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and his sister, Florence Warren, and her husband. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Violet Serravo and Ann Domenico. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Collier Hospice Center, 3210 Lutheran Parkway, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Horan McConaty, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd. in Lakewood at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 17. Interment will follow at Ft. Logan National Cemetery.