Charles James Stickford

Former City of Grosse Pointe and Grosse Pointe Farms resident Charles James Stickford, 90, died of complications from leukemia in hospice at the University of North Carolina Hospital in Hillsborough on Saturday, August 9.

Known to his family and friends as Jim, Mr. Stickford was born in St. Louis on October 13, 1934. He attended St. Louis University Jesuit High School and went on to graduate from St. Louis University with a degree in history. After graduation, he served in the United States Marine Corps, where he learned how to type on typewriters with no letters on the keys. Known as a “Remington Raider” he considered himself a lifelong Marine.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Mr. Stickford took a job in the St. Louis Police Department’s press office. He later left that position to begin his career as a reporter for the United Press International (UPI) wire service where he covered the auto industry and eventually headed its Lansing Bureau. Jim left UPI to take a public relations position with the Goodyear Tire Company, before finally taking a Public Relations job for the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation, where he worked from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s.

During his time at Chrysler, Mr. Stickford worked with notable stock car racers including Richard Petty, whose team was sponsored by Plymouth, for many years. He eventually moved over from public relations to advertising and marketing, where he helped develop Chrysler’s “Mitsubishi, it’s all the Japanese you need to know” campaign.

Upon his retirement from Chrysler, Mr. Stickford took a job selling magazine advertising for Peterson Publications and Meredith Corporation.

Jim married the love of his life, Barbara in August of 1961 in St. Louis, Missouri. They reared a family of five children. While Jim wore many hats in his life, his favorite was being a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

As an adult, Jim embraced numerous activities; including golf, tennis, skiing, skeet shooting, and photography. Playing tennis was a special passion and he was able to win several Pewter Cups. His proudest achievement, however, was winning the Governors Club member-guest golf tournament with his son John in 2012 - even his hole-in-one in 2010 didn’t cause as much excitement.

Jim and Barbara retired to the Governors Club in Chapel Hill, N.C., where they joined and were very active in the St. Thomas More Catholic Church parish. He also continued to use his journalism skills by writing and editing the Governors Club newsletter and as a “Tar Heel” temp for multiple departments at the University of North Carolina.

Jim maintained his love for photography, documenting his around-the-world travels with his wife Barbara, as well as becoming the family, church, and community photographer - always using the newest Nikon digital camera. If he wasn’t golfing, he was glued to his computer, editing his photos to perfection and sharing them with all.

Jim will be best remembered by Governors Club residents for his 5 times daily walks with his goldendoodles Kate and Billie.

Mr. Stickford is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara; his five children, Ann, Elizabeth Pendy (Jim), James, John (Sasha), and Catherine; three grandchildren, John Pendy (Ashley), Kate Pendy and Gavin Stickford; and one great-grandchild, Cora Pendy. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 on August 18 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill, NC. Mr. Stickford’s ashes will be interred in the St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church Columbarium in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI on September 27, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to St. Thomas More Catholic Church Outreach Program (Financial Assistance), 940 Carmichael Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, secure.myvanco.com/YGJD/campaign/C-YGMR