Funeral services for James “Jim†Muchlinski, 84, of Marshall will be Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a CCW Rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a parish Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. at Rehkamp Horvath Funeral Home in Marshall. Visitation will continue 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Rehkamp Horvath Funeral Home. Interment will follow the service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
James “Jim†Lucian Muchlinski was born on November 12, 1934, in Ivanhoe, to Lucian and Alma (Fier) Muchlinski. He graduated from Ivanhoe High School in 1952 and later attended St. John’s University. Jim graduated from St. John’s University in 1956 and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education from South Dakota State University in 1964. On August 22, 1964, Jim was united in marriage to Mary Spanton at St. Edward Catholic Church in Minneota. The couple lived and raised their family in Marshall. Jim spent 42 years in high school education. He taught at Holdingford High School for one year before spending a year in the Army. Jim came back to Marshall in 1958 and taught Business and P.E. at Central Catholic High School for nine years. In 1967, Jim took a job at the Marshall High School, where he again worked as a Business and P.E. teacher for two years before becoming a High School Counselor for the last 30 years of his career.
Jim also enjoyed a rich career coaching baseball and basketball. He was the head baseball and basketball coach at Central Catholic High School, and was the head baseball and assistant basketball coach at Marshall High School. Jim received many awards as a coach, including the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, State Baseball Association Dick Siebert Award and Jim Dimick Retired Coaches Award, Basketball Coaches Association Assistant Coaches Award, and induction into the Pride in the Tiger Hall of Fame. Jim retired in 1999, proud of what he had accomplished in his 42 years as a teacher, counselor, and coach.
In his free time, Jim enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He looked forward to summer trips to visit relatives, as well as vacations with his family. Jim genuinely enjoyed being with people. Jim also enjoyed duck hunting, reading, and refinishing furniture.
Jim died Friday, February 22, 2019, at Avera Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall. Jim is survived by his wife Mary of Marshall; son James of Marshall; daughter Elizabeth (Michael) Reisbig of Omaha, NE; grandchildren Madeline, Maggie, and Jack Reisbig; sister Mary (Tom) Kelly of Richfield; brother Tom (Ethel) Muchlinski of Plymouth; sisters-in-law Rose Muchlinski of Plymouth, Julie (Dale) Goos of San Antonio, TX, Paulette Spanton of Shakopee; brother-in-law Doug (Lois) Spanton of Minneota; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. Jim was preceded in death by his parents Lucian and Alma, brother John, brother-in-law John Spanton, nephew Mike Muchlinski, and niece Vicki (Goos) Sutherland.
Memorials preferred to the Holy Redeemer School Foundation, St. John’s University, or the Marshall Pride in the Tiger Foundation.
