James Karls

James "Jim" Casper Karls passed away the morning of Oct. 13th, 2019, in a drowning accident on the Yellowstone River near Billings. Jim Karls was a man of strong virtue, lasting character and one who cared greatly for his family. His absence leaves an unfillable void for his family and he will be greatly missed. He was born November 12, 1951 to Donald and Theresa, the first of eight siblings in a closely connected family. At the age of twelve, Jim's father died in an unexpected work accident, and this transformed the story of the family. As the oldest sibling he took on much of the responsibility and care for his siblings. He took ownership for how his family functioned and felt responsible in a fatherly way for the well being of all of his siblings throughout his life. Jim completed high school at Billings Central High School and completed his Bachelors in Business Administration at MSU Bozeman. He had fun and built some lifetime friends, including his friend for life and eventual wife Kathy Karls. They married September 1, 1972 and were blessed with five children: Jesse, Jason, Jacque, Joshua and Jolene. Jim was a dedicated father who had high expectations and a strong personal standard of integrity and honesty. He attended Catholic church faithfully with his family and promoted the values of the church. They raised their children with firm boundaries and instilled many memories of learning moments. Jim's expectations for his children came through with setting high standards for himself. He never cursed in front of his children, he also didn't yell at his children. He quit all his vices out of respect for his family. He would always go above and beyond to help others. It would be easy to over emphasize the hunting/fishing part of Jim's life, but it was for him even beyond a passion. He was a “die hard,” arriving well before sun up, (often picking his fishing buddy up around 3:30am), and often leaving after dark. He fished and hunted for nearly everything you can imagine. As a passionate outdoorsman his depth of experience made him as much a part of Montana as the Yellowstone river itself. Jim died doing one of the many things he loved, duck hunting on a river he spent countless, (maybe a thousand) days of his life on. He respected the river and spoke of its unpredictability and danger often. Jim never did learn how to swim, although it was very important that his children completed swim lessons. He took care of others at times better than he cared for himself. He was a donor and his last giving gift was sight (his corneas) to two lucky people, allowing them to see the beautiful nature that God has given. Jim always had a second home; it was the garage. The myriad of projects and creative solutions he made could fill an encyclopedia series. His ability to fix or solve nearly any problem was unmatched. He completely redid every home he has lived in. He assisted many family and friends with their homes and projects. Jim was a perfectionist, and if something wasn't done right he would stick with it until it was completed to a high standard. His son-in-law Bryan will continue to represent Jim's standard; he crafted the (companion) urn that would meet with Jim's approval. Anything Jim built or created could be given a lifetime warranty. His work has truly left his family set with quality and reliability for years to come. Jim was stoic, enduring pain or hardship without a display of feeling and without complaint. He was not one to show his emotions, but they were strongly there. He was an Oreo cookie, with a rough outer shell but a soft sensitive center. Jim lived in a way that his virtue defined him, and his actions always spoke louder than his words. He would tell it as it is, but also was the best person to call when you were working through a struggle. His consultation and support will be greatly missed. Jim shared his uniqueness and silliness in family moments. It was hard to realize he had a silly side when you first met him, but his goofiness was contagious and genuine as he warmed up to people. In an affectionate way he wrestled with his boys and snuggled while watching TV with the girls. He had nicknames of affection for all his children and grandchildren, Jesser, (Jesse), Otta-mae (Jason), Jackalope (Jacque), Lester, Boo-boo, Brownie, or Pinkie (Josh), Dog-a-lena (Jolene), as well as nicknames for his grandchildren Gavi-o-toe (Gavin), Schmemmakins (Emma), Ollie-by-Gollie (Oliver), Graybull Mabel (Grayson), Thaner-bo-baner (Thane) ‘Suzie' (Martha) and Finigan (Finley). We got to see his best side when he was spending time with his grandkids, he could pull even the crankiest crying child into joyful smiles. He showed so much joy when he was around them. He was a role model and kind, but also directive with parental guidance for them. Jim will be greatly missed by his wife, Kathy, children: Jesse, Jason (Sarah), Jacque (Bryan) Kosmann, Joshua, and Jolene (Jonny) Wood; grandchildren: Gavin, Emma, Oliver, Grayson, Thane, Martha, and Finley. He leaves behind six siblings Joe (Patty), Janice (Jim), Larry (Mary), Nancy(Jim), Marian (Pat), and Johnny (Kathleen) as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, and his brother Robert (Shelly).