Jim Klobuchar
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April 9, 1928
University of Minnesota (BA)
Jim Klobuchar | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Klobuchar in 2009 | |
| Born | James John Klobuchar April 9, 1928 Ely, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | May 12, 2021 (aged 93) Burnsville, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Education | Ely Junior College (AA) University of Minnesota (BA) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | Star Tribune |
| Spouse |
Rose Heuberger
(m. 1954; div. 1976) |
| Children | 2, including Amy |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1950–1952 |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
James John Klobuchar (/ˈkloʊbəʃɑːr/ KLOH-bə-shar;[1] April 9, 1928 – May 12, 2021) was an American journalist, author, and newspaper columnist from Minnesota. Klobuchar was regarded as a regionally well-known and admired local sports and politics reporter during his long career working for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.[2][3]
Klobuchar notably was the first reporter in the country to declare John F. Kennedy's victory over Richard Nixon in the 1960 United States presidential election.[2] He was the father of Minnesota U.S. Senator and former Hennepin County attorney Amy Klobuchar.
Klobuchar was born in Ely, Minnesota, the son of Mary (Pucel) and Michael Klobuchar.[4] His grandparents were all from Slovenia.[5] He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Ely Junior College (now Minnesota North College – Vermilion) in 1948 and a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the University of Minnesota in 1950.
Career
Klobuchar served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1952 and became a corporal. He worked as a wire editor for the Bismarck Tribune in North Dakota in 1950 and as a legislative reporter from 1952 to 1953.[6]
Klobuchar worked as a staff writer for the Associated Press in Minneapolis from 1953 to 1961 and with the Minneapolis Tribune from 1961 to 1965.[6] He was the first to report on John F. Kennedy's defeat of Richard Nixon in 1960.[7] He became a columnist for the Minneapolis Star starting in 1965 where he covered sports and politics.[6] In 1984 the National Society of Newspaper Columnists honored him as an outstanding columnist.[8] He retired in 1996.[9]
Klobuchar continued writing after his official retirement, including frequent columns for The Christian Science Monitor, which recommended him for a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.[8]
Klobuchar published 23 books.[8]
Personal life
Klobuchar married Rose Heuberger August 7, 1954 and had two children, one of who is Amy. The couple divorced in 1976. He struggled with alcoholism, which he wrote a book about—Pursued by Grace.[10] His daughter Amy is a United States Senator and was a Presidential candidate in 2020.
During much of his life Klobuchar was an avid cyclist and led the "Jaunt With Jim"[11] group bicycle ride for 39 years.
Health and death
Towards the end of Klobuchar's life, he had Alzheimer's disease.[12] He died at a care facility in Burnsville, Minnesota on May 12, 2021, at age 93.[13] Amy Klobuchar announced the death, saying about her father, "He loved journalism. He loved sports and adventure. And we loved him."[14] Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also paid tribute, stating "Our press community lost a giant in Jim Klobuchar's passing."[13] Plans were also made to bury him in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery.[13][15]
