Radio legend Jim Turpin passes away

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 to honor the best and most influential players, teams, coaches, media, officials, and friends of basketball in Illinois history. Since then, a new Hall of Fame class has been inducted every year.  Year Inducted: 1979

Jim Turpin began a broadcasting career while a senior at Olney High School where he was an all-conference player and was an honorable mention all-state player for the 1949-50 season. After announcing for the Armed Forces Radio and Television, Jim returned to the Champaign areas to describe both prep action and the University of Illinois football and basketball games. He did this as an undergraduate student at the university for WDWS in Champaign. After graduation Jim continued the play-by-play for WILL in Urbana. In 1962, Turpin added work at WTAX to his state high school and U of I football and basketball duties. Jim was the radio voice of the Illini from 1960 through 2002. For many years Jim worked both the Class A and AA boys’ tournaments in Champaign. On December 22, 2017, Jim finally retired completely. He had aired the popular call in show, “Penny for your Thoughts” for 40 years.

CHAMPAIGN — Known as the radio “Voice of the Illini” from 1960 to 2002 and the longtime host until his retirement in 2017 of WDWS’ popular community call-in show “Penny for Your Thoughts,” James G. “Jim” Turpin, 90, died Sunday, April 10, 2022 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, surrounded by the love of his family.

Jim was born Feb. 26, 1932, in Olney, to Burl and Martha Turpin, and started dating future wife Louise Van Matre in the eighth grade. He graduated from East Richland High School in 1950, and the couple deemed “most likely to succeed” married on Aug. 16, 1952. They raised their family of three children — Chris, Dan and Jayne — in Springfield and Champaign. After 67 years of marriage, Louise died Sept. 18, 2019.

In 1953, Jim was drafted and worked in radio operations for the Armed Forces Radio and Television division in South Korea and Japan. He announced for a late-night radio show that played love songs, and he used to record audio love letters on reel-to-reel tapes with the songs playing in the background and send them back home to Louise.

In Champaign after the war, Jim worked for WDWS, describing prep action and University of Illinois football and basketball games, and finished his UI degree in radio-television journalism in 1961. He also did play-by-play for WILL in Urbana and, in 1962, added work at WTAX in Springfield.

During the time the family lived in Springfield, he had worked as public affairs director for the Illinois Oil Council, president of S.P. Wright Advertising Agency, public affairs director for the Illinois Council for Branch Banking, and vice president for public affairs at Sangamon State University.

In his rise to becoming an acclaimed radio sportscaster and on-air personality, Jim was vice president and general manager of WDWS/WHMS radio back in Champaign for a number of years, while continuing to do play-by-play for some exciting and memorable football and basketball games on the Illini Sports Network. Many sports fans and community listeners came to regard his distinctive voice as that of a familiar friend. He also hosted the “Monday Night Coaches Show” on WDWS for a time and was the co-host, along with Loren Tate, of “Saturday Sportsline” for many years. National sports commentator Dick Vitale considered Jim one of the nation’s best university play-by-play announcers.

His professional honors included the Broadcast Pioneer Award by the Illinois Broadcasters Association, along with the two-time recipient of the IBA award for downstate Illinois’ best play-by-play announcer; induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame media category; the 2001 Chamber of Commerce’s “Most Valuable Citizen” in Champaign County; and honorary member of the Varsity “I” Association at the University of Illinois.

Jim was later awarded lifetime membership in the university’s Illini Quarterback Club football booster group and Illini Rebounders basketball booster group, and enjoyed lifetime press credentials for all UI athletic events. In addition to football and basketball, he particularly enjoyed watching Illini volleyball and tennis with his family.

The Champaign-Urbana community was important to Jim, and over the years, he enjoyed serving as emcee or master of ceremonies for various events such as the Champaign Rotary Club’s Illini football banquet, the Illinois Football Coaches Association annual Hall of Fame banquet, the summertime Ice Cream and Independence performance at the Virginia Theatre, and the WDWS/WHMS Scholar Athlete banquet for area high school scholar-athletes (which he also founded). He also enjoyed and supported community and youth theater, attending hundreds of shows locally and featuring numerous show casts on the “Penny for Your Thoughts” program to help promote their performances.

His other community service included board terms with the Disabled Citizens Foundation and the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, past president of the American Business Club, as well as membership in the Champaign-Urbana Advertising Club and the Illinois Broadcasters Association. In 2018, he received the United Way of Champaign County’s Spirit of Caring Award, followed by serving as UWCC Campaign co-chair alongside daughter Jayne DeLuce. He also enjoyed serving as host for the Christmas Community Dinner at First Christian Church for 10 years.

Faith and family were paramount to Jim. He was an elder of First Presbyterian Church of Champaign, and he delighted in spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren — taking pride in their accomplishments, supporting their activities and cheering them on as their beloved Dad and Papa. He also enjoyed cycling and tennis for many years.

He is survived by his children, Chris (Jim Lukeman), Dan (Suzanne Cross) and Jayne (Joe DeLuce); grandchildren, Carly (Jason Sakowski), Kendall (Nigel Yin), Shayne, Quinn, Trey, Jenna and Jordan; great-grandsons, Luka and Ozzy; and sisters, Jody Wood and Sue Engle. In addition to his wife, Louise, Jim was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marge DeMarse; and numerous nephews, nieces and good friends.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Tuesday, April 19, at Copper Creek Church, 2202 W. Curtis Road, Champaign, for a celebration of life service at 10 a.m., followed by a reception in the church lobby.

News Gazette, Champaign, IL – April 14, 2022