65416_James Alan_Klatt
James Alan Klatt was born January 15, 1942, in Mason City, Iowa.
He grew up on a farm and was living proof of the adage that you can take the boy out of the country but you can never take the country out of the boy. He loved nothing better than tramping through a field of prairie grass, following deer trails in the woods, casting a line into the water from a boat on a tranquil northern lake or taking his beloved dog, Rascal, pheasant hunting.
He was an avid outdoorsman, and it was entirely fitting that after years in the communication and advertising industries, he joined the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Union Sportsman’s Alliance where he advocated tirelessly for the preservation of wild spaces for hunting, fishing and general enjoyment. He was also a longtime supporter of groups such as Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance of which he was a founding member and two-time President. It was in this role that he helped to pass a state constitutional amendment in 1998 guaranteeing Minnesotans the right to hunt and fish, one of the achievements he was proudest of.
In 2008, in recognition of his commitment to conservation and sportsmen, Outdoor News named him their Man of the Year. In addition to his work in conservation, Jim made his mark upon the world through service in the Peace Corps in the 1960s, and through his writings as a journalist with multiple publications, including the Decorah Journal which he edited from 1970-71.
He made his home in many places, including Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, New York, British Columbia, Washington State and, finally Minnesota. He and his partner Cathy loved spending time at their cabin in northern Wisconsin and also visiting family scattered across the country.
He also leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured by accolades or titles — a legacy found in the names and faces of the innumerable people whose lives have intersected with his and have been made better for that in some way.
He will be missed and celebrated by many, including his life partner and dearest companion in outdoor adventures, Cathy Manning, sons Justin Klatt and Sean Dylan, daughter Kara Moore, daughter-in-law Keri Dylan, son-in-law Tom Moore, granddaughter Eleanor Dylan, sister-in-law Judy Klatt, niece Kathryn Klatt Engelhardt and her husband Cory, as well as some very special people whom he lovingly and thankfully welcomed as family along the way: Tina Manning and Alessio Benedetti and their children Sabrina and Sebastian, Jimmy and Leann Manning and their sons Jacob and Gus, Seth Manning and daughter Olivia, and Vicki and Chris Filteau and son Zach.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Klatt and Katherine Klatt Dobson, his aunts Jane Querry and Dorothy Johnson, and his brother Greg Klatt.
A services will be held at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, 7110 France Avenue South, Edina, MN 55435, on Friday, July 26. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m. followed by a service at 5 p.m. and a reception.
To celebrate Jim’s life the family requests that guests wear bright and cheerful colors.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either the Jim Klatt Memorial Fund — memo: Benedictine Foundation, mail to: Benedictine Health Care, 618 E. 17th St., Minneapolis, MN 55404 or Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance — memo: scholarship fund, mail to: P.O. Box 803, Stillwater, MN 55082.