Donald’s Obituary Donald Lee Totten, 86, of Elgin, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2019 surrounded by family. Don was born on February 19, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Edgar and Louise Totten. He was raised in New Jersey and attended Ridgewood High School. He received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame University in 1955 and soon after married the love of his life, Joyce Anderson. They had four children. His passions included traveling, politics, golf, wine collecting and watching the Dodgers and Notre Dame. After a few years in the engineering field, Don was elected Republican Committeeman of Schaumburg Township in 1966. In 1972, he was elected to the Illinois legislature and he received the Illinois Conservative Union’s Legislator of the Year award in 1977. He was elected State Senator in 1980. He ran for Lt. Governor in March of 1982. In 1985, Don was elected Chairman of the Cook County Republican Central Committee. In July 1990, he was appointed a director of the Regional Transportation Authority. Throughout this time, Don was President of a private consulting firm specializing in government relations, management and political consulting. In addition, Don was State Chairman of the Illinois Citizens for Reagan in 1976 and a member of the Steering Committee of the Illinois President Ford Committee. In 1980, he was Regional Political Director and Illinois State Chairman for the Reagan for President Committee, and a member of Reagan’s transition team. In July 1981, he was appointed to the International Joint Commission. He was preceded in death by his wife Joyce, daughter Donna, parents Edgar and Louise Totten, and sister Betty Estelle. He is survived by his sister, Barbara Hellenack of Wake Forest, NC. His children Diane Faldstein of Mooresville, NC, Robert and Cyndi Totten of Jacksonville, FL and Kathy and Mike Weber of Cornelius, NC and his grandchildren Brett Faldstein, Ericka Faldstein, Kyle Weber, Jennifer Totten, Alex Weber, Daniel Totten, Brian Totten and his great grandson Joshua Brady. Visitation will be Friday, April 12th from 4:00-7:30 p.m. with a service being held from 7:30-8:00 p.m. at Ahlgrim and Sons Funeral Home at 330 W. Golf Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60195. Interment will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Palatine on Saturday, April 13th at 9:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association. Read More
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Donald Lee Totten February 19 1933 April 2 2019.
Ahlgrim and Sons Funeral and Cremation Services, LTD
Death notice for the town of: Schaumburg, state: Illinois