Age 86, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin was born to eternal life on Saturday March 5, 2016.
He was born on December 22, 1929 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Otto Jacob Glatting and Lillian (Rajec) Glatting.
Jim was raised in Milwaukee and graduated from West Division High School where he excelled in football, basketball, track & field and academics. During his Junior year he was elected Class President and football team captain. As a senior, playing football at the tackle position, he was voted All-City 1st string, All-Wisconsin 3rd string, and All-Nation 2nd string. He earned a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he also played football for the Badgers until a knee injury cut short his college football career. He later earned a Master's Degree in Public School Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Jim served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, while stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington, where he met the love of his life, Betty Leona Chase, at a USO dance. An excellent dancer and light on his feet, he found his dance and life partner in Betty, a USO volunteer, whom he led around the dance floor and through life.
Jim and Betty were married on September 11, 1954 at Fort Lewis, Washington and moved to Milwaukee in 1955 where Jim began a career with the Milwaukee Public School District at Riverside High School, teaching mathematics and science, and coaching athletics. Jim later was an administrator at James Madison High School, and retired in 1984.
Jim and Betty raised three sons: Gary Gene, Dean Greg, and James Craig. Jim, Betty and the boys were members of St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Milwaukee until 1984. Jim enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. He loved spending time with his family and friends, fishing, camping and the outdoors. He especially liked to make his own repairs to household issues, tinker in his work shop and build things using his hands and tools. He took the family annually to St. Germain, Wisconsin, camping at Big St. Germain Lake, where he taught his sons how to fish and appreciate the outdoors. Jim taught the boys many games and sports and how to be a team player. He led the family on many other vacations including trips to Washington DC, Canada, Niagara Falls, Florida, and 1966 six-week camping tour of the American West through 14 states, visiting family and friends in Washington and California, and many National Parks and Monuments in their new Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser, trailering a small Nimrod camper. The boys named mom and dad's 1967 Christmas present to them, an English Springer Spaniel puppy, "Cruiser", who became another member of the family.
Taking cues from their great Milwaukee friends, the entire Glatting family learned to downhill ski, enjoyed many trips to ski resorts in Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, bought a boat and all learned to water ski, bought snowmobiles and enjoyed riding, and in 1975 purchased a vacation home close to friends on Wolf Lake in Marinette County, where the families and their friends would spend countless hours on the lake in summer and enjoying winters as well. In 1984 Jim retired and, being empty-nesters, Jim and Betty moved to their Wolf Lake home for a slower pace of life. They took long walks daily to appreciate nature and treasured visits from family and friends. Jim and Betty often took vacations together including; visiting family in Arizona, canoe trips down many Wisconsin rivers; a cruise ship tour along the Alaskan coastline; a rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and downhill skiing in the Rockies.
In 2008, Jim and Betty downsized and moved to Oshkosh to be closer to family, as their Wolf Lake home was proving too much to handle.
A bicycle accident in 2012 made life a bit tougher for Jim and in October 2015 he moved to Bella Vista Manor Senior Care Facility in Oshkosh.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Otto Jacob Glatting (1897-1950) and Lillian (1897-1974) Glatting. Jim is also preceded in death by his only sister Carol Jean, in 1934 at age 7. He is also preceded in death by a step-father Herman "Herm" Seer.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Betty L. (Chase) Glatting of Oshkosh, WI; son, Gary (Judy Masterson) Glatting of Phoenix, AZ, together with their children: Alaina (Tyler) Krone of Tucson, AZ; Ashley Glatting of San Diego, CA; Gavin Glatting of Tucson, AZ; and Jake Glatting of Tucson, AZ; son Dean (Betty J. Pagel) Glatting of Oshkosh, WI, together with their children: Brittany Glatting of Memphis, TN; and Kaylee Glatting of La Crosse, WI; son, James "Jimmy" C. Glatting of Milwaukee, WI, along with his children: Erika Jo Beans-Glatting of Milwaukee, WI and Christian Cooper-Glatting of Richmond, VA.
Visitation for Jim will held at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Monday, March 14, 2016 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM with a Memorial Service immediately following. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to any Veterans organization or Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
The family would like to thank the staff of Home Instead Senior Care, Bella Vista Manor and Generations Home & Hospice Care for their loving support, helping Jim through the final months of his earthly life.
