James Klaczak

James Alexander Klaczak
Eighty years of a fabulous life ended on November 12, 2025, with the passing of Jim Klaczak. Jim was a joy to be around--present, intelligent, fun and wise. He had a magnetism that drew people toward him, making friends everywhere he went, sharing stories, and always ready with a funny quip. He was passionate about education, and making sure that young people understood the importance of history. He loved rock and roll, particularly the Rolling Stones, and was originally drawn to move to California because of the Beach Boys.
Born James Alexander Klaczak on July 25, 1945, in Washington, D.C., to Walter and Dorothy Klaczak, Jim grew up in Levittown, PA, where his boundless energy, intellectual intensity and infectious enthusiasm first took root. A proud graduate of the University of San Francisco, he went on to live out every kid's dream by playing football for the Washington Redskins under the legendary Vince Lombardi.
Football coaching became his true calling when Jim coached offensive line at Menlo College under Ray Solari, followed by several years at LSU under Charlie McClendon (Jim's favorite job), then at Texas A&M and Arizona State. He later poured his heart into high school athletes at Maui's Lahainaluna, Brook Hill in Bullard, TX, De Anza in Richmond, CA, and Calistoga High School. As athletic director at multiple schools, he coached football, baseball, track, and soccer-always with a grin and a playbook full of life lessons. In the classroom he taught history, English, and economics, turning every lesson into a story worth remembering.
Jim was a true generalist and renaissance man. As an entrepreneur he headed several companies, leading many diverse companies from Safety Technology to the Maui Popcorn Factory. He traveled the world, spending time in Kenya and Japan.
In 1996 Jim met Andrea Solari, the love of his life. Before he passed, he told her she had changed his life to be "so very happy," and anyone who saw them together knew it was true. In the last 15 years, they spent three glorious months of every summer in Italy, where his impossible last name earned him the affectionate title "Mr. Solari." Jim loved making new friends there, savoring the stracciatella gelato that always brought a sparkle to his eyes, and swimming in the Ligurian Sea.
A positive role model and mentor to countless young people, Jim lived with joy, coached with passion, and loved with his whole heart. His legacy is the focus on the field, the lessons in the classroom, and the happiness he sprinkled everywhere he went. For the past few years, Jim was proud of being a Knight of Columbus at Saint Bernadette Catholic Church in Scottsdale. Jim is survived by his wife Andrea Solari, daughter Sylvia Bronson and granddaughter Lucy Mason.
The funeral mass will be held at Saint Bernadette Catholic Church in Scottsdale on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 10AM. Jim will be buried at a later date at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Columbia, California. Please share your memories and photos of Jim at https://www.hansenmortuary.com/obituaries/James-Klaczak?obId=46388769. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim's name can be made to the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation Scholarship Fund or to Save Our St. Anne's, details as follows.
The LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to student-athletes for costs such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board. This supports Jim's love of and history with LSU football. Please indicate "In Memory of James A. Klaczak" in the donation memo line.
Save Our St. Anne's is a non-profit preservation committee dedicated to preserving the historic church built in Columbia, CA in 1856, where Andrea's family first settled in the United States. Checks made out to "Save Our St. Anne's" can be mailed to St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 116 Bradford St., Sonora, CA 95370, or you can make a donation over the phone by calling St. Patrick's during regular business hours at +1 (209) 532-7139.