James Marvin Kloster, age 82, of Sharon, ND, peacefully passed away on March 31, 2023, from heart complications at his winter home in Mesa, AZ. He was born June 19, 1940, in Sharon, ND, the youngest son of Marvin and Grace (Lageson) Kloster.
Jim grew up on the family farm near Sharon. He graduated from Sharon High School in 1958, then attended Mayville State College earning a degree in education. On September 25, 1965, Jim married Karen Gail Sundeen in Brocket, ND. That same year he joined the North Dakota National Guard. Jim returned home and taught Business and PE classes in Sharon and Aneta, and also coached high school basketball.
Jim and Karen raised Andrea, Julie, Pam, and Ryan on the Kloster homestead, where he farmed with his dad and brother Sully. Jim eventually chose to farm full-time yet continued coaching the Aneta Wildcats for several more years.
Coach K enjoyed basketball and stayed in touch with many former players and loved to reminisce about their glory days. His favorite teams were the Sharon Knights, Aneta Wildcats, Mayville State Comets, Minnesota Twins, ASU Sun Devils, and occasionally the Minnesota Vikings.
Jim especially loved his grandchildren. He was always ready to travel to see them in a school activity, sporting event, celebrate a birthday, or just because. Papa Jimmy looked forward to having his grandkids visit the farm so he could give tractor rides, eat a meal in the field during harvest, ride the mini bike around the yard, or let them drive his pickup down the gravel road.
Jim is survived by his wife, Karen, of 57 years, their four children Andrea Grady (Rob) Sioux Falls, SD, Julie Middleton (Steve) Monticello, MN, Pam Modrich, Scottsdale, AZ and Ryan (Jessica), Aneta, ND, his brother Myron (Linda), Sharon, ND, sister-in-law Della Sundeen (Lakota), and grandchildren Hayden and Parker Cole, Brady and Madison Jochim, Paul and Clyde Middleton, Emma and Macy Modrich and Augustus Kloster. A celebration of life service will be planned this summer in Sharon, ND.