Elmer "Jim" Karlin

Elmer James Karlin was born September 30,1929 and raised in Hays, Kansas. He died peacefully February 21,2024 at his home in Ankeny, Iowa.

On November 18,1953 Jim married Norma Jean Koerner. They had four children: Stuart (Debby), Lisa Johnson (Tim), Steven (Lynn Rankin) and Leslie and they raised their family in Iowa.

Jim always wanted to be a sport’s writer traveling around the country following the games. However, his excellent mind for numbers took him to the world of finance instead. He pursued his love of sports as a spectator taking family and friends along for the ride. His children can still remember accompanying their dad to see John Johnson, Fred Brown, Ben McGilmer and the Iowa “Six Pack” play at the old fieldhouse in Iowa City. Jim and Jean also had season tickets for Hawkeye football with the kids spending every home game in the knot hole section. Sports encompassed the Karlin household with Jim passing this love down to his children and grandchildren. Jim was not only a fan but a great athlete playing second base on the US Army Far East baseball team in Japan while serving in the Army. Baseball was his first love, with him coaching his son’s little league teams. However, he was also an avid golfer, skilled at tennis playing with both girls and friends, able on the slopes with annual ski trips to Colorado, and always available for a game of horse in the driveway with his and neighboring children. Jim’s love of sports continued throughout his life as a loyal Kansas City Chiefs and Yankees fan, and his latest passion was Caitlin Clark and the Iowa lady Hawks. He marveled at her ball handling skills and flawless shot
technique.

Jim enjoyed a long professional career in banking beginning in Kansas and then Iowa in both Iowa City and Newton. After retirement, Jim married Gladys Klein De Ronde on March 24,1994 and relocated to Ankeny where he remained until his death. Jim kept busy post-retirement running cars for a local auction and in loss prevention for Kohls Department Stores where, until his departure, he held the status as the oldest Kohl’s employee nationwide. Jim was an avid reader and loved all aspects of history. He was known for his quick wit and ability to turn a phrase. His cleaver mind earned him many top grades when a poem or limerick was the homework assignment for one of the children.

Family and friends will remember Jim for his kind heart, wry smile, the twinkle in his eye and his good-hearted sense of humor. In business, people will recall his integrity, work ethic and willingness to give anyone a chance who wanted to work hard and put in the effort.

Jim leaves many loved ones behind including: 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. In addition to his own children, he leaves two stepchildren: Evonne Whalen (Richard) and Douglas De Ronde (Kathy), 5 step-grandchildren, 14 step-great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

Services for Jim will he held Friday, March 1,2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266. Burial will follow at Iowa Veteran’s Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa.

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