James Klimek

James Anthony was born on January 31, 1969 in Alexandria, Minnesota, the son of Erwin and Barbara (Karger) Klimek. Jim was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith, but became a converted Catholic prior to marriage. He attended school in Alexandria District 206 from kindergarten through twelfth grade. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1987. During his later years in school, Jim found employment at Coast to Coast Hardware and Burger King. Following his high school graduation, he found employment at Geneva Manufacturing and continued to maintain his schedule at Burger King. In 1989, Geneva went out of business and Jim then found additional employment at Godfather?s Pizza for about a year. In 1990, Jim was promoted to a crew manager and eventually became store manager. Sometime in this span of fourteen years he was known as ?Whopper? to his friends. In 1999, under his management supervision, Burger King received a top ten in the region award for quality, service, cleanliness and excellence in management which earned him a training conference trip to Disney World. In 2000, he decided to make a change in his career path and began employment with the Maintenance Department at Alexandria School District; specifically Jefferson Senior High School. His last and final job change occurred in August 2001 when he started working for Thompson?s Heating and Air Conditioning as an HVAC installer, a position he held until his medical diagnosis prevented him from returning to work. He was united in marriage to Jillayne (Jill) Suchy on May 17, 1997 at St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Alexandria, Minnesota. After their marriage they lived in Alexandria and had two children, Nicholas and Chelsey. They moved to Garfield in 2001 after building a house. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, camping, and many other outdoor activities. He was a committed member to a bowling league for many years and even taught his wife the game. More recently he dedicated his free time to participate in a weekly men?s golf league at Pine Ridge Golf Course. He found great joy in yard work, gardening, having bonfires with his children, and taking care of his black lab ?Abby.? In April 2007, after a Saturday morning urgent care visit to the clinic for antibiotics for his flu, Jim was diagnosed with Burkitt?s Lymphoma, an aggressive form of non-hodgkins lymphoma. It wasn?t until May 2007 that he learned his cancer was at stage 4 and he needed immediate chemotherapy treatment. He endured 7 rounds of treatment throughout the summer; some rounds enabled him to return home before the next and sometimes he was too weak to leave the hospital. His treatments were able to provide him comfort, but not totally cure the disease invading his body. He was soon told the next step of treatment was a Bone Marrow Transplant. He embraced the opportunity to find relief and was very fortunate that his sister was a perfect bone marrow match. On January 7 he received his sister?s marrow and within a few short weeks before it had a chance to grow in his body, the lymphoma returned and with it bringing new complications to his lungs and kidneys. He was readmitted to the hospital and was reliant upon oxygen. His condition continued to deteriorate and on March 15 he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit to begin a final round of chemotherapy and intense treatment to weaken the cancer. He was unable to remain stable and soon required a full-time nurse, sedation, a breathing tube, and paralyzing medications. On March 19 his lungs were weakened beyond recovery by the disease and the cancer was no longer responding to the chemotherapy. In spite of all the most valiant efforts, he was unable to overcome this disease we all fear; CANCER. He is survived by his mother Barb Klimek of Alexandria; father Erv (Virginia) Klimek of Alexandria; wife Jill Klimek (and children Nicholas and Chelsey) of Garfield; daughter Mercedes of Osakis; brother Jeff (DaNae) Klimek (children Michael, Mark and Madison) of Oakdale; sister Michelle Klimek of Alexandria; brother Adam Klimek of Alexandria; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, . He was preceded in death by his grandparents Ed & Barbara Klimek of Millerville; Alexander and Elda Karger of Parkers Prairie; and nieces McKayla and Megan Klimek of Oakdale. A prayer service was held on Monday, March 24, 2008, 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary?s Catholic Church with Father Steve Binsfeld officiating. Palllbearers were Greg Jahnke, Jeff Harstad, Jeff Greene, Brad Burg, Dan Dreger, Shawn Lehn. Burial was held at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Cemetery in Millerville. Jim had an ability to make friends wherever he went. He was a caring son, husband, and father. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. A detailed journal of his fight is online at www.caringbridge.org/visit/jimklimek. Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home