Walter James "Jim" Lahti, 63, of 229 E. Ridge St., Ironwood, died Tuesday morning, July 8, 2008, in his home, surrounded by his loving family, following a lengthy, positive fight with cancer. Jim was born Oct. 24, 1944, in Ironwood, son of Bernice (Johnson) and the late Walter Lahti, and attended Sleight and Norrie schools. He resided in Albuquerque, N.M. and El Paso, Tx. before returning to Ironwood in 1968. He received an associate degree in business administration from Gogebic Community College in 1970 and attended General Motors Institute in Detroit. For the past 40 years, Jim was employed in sales at Lahti Chevrolet-Cadillac, Ave's Sports Center and Red's Auto, receiving numerous awards for his outstanding salesmanship abilities. He was a member of the Hurley Lions Club, Knights and Ladies of Kaleva, and past president of the Deming, N.M. Optimist Club. He also served a term on the Ironwood City Commission and was a past member of the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners. He loved "putzing" at his cottage on Crystal Lake in Mercer, and enjoyed woodworking and painting. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and many friends. As an avid Minnesota Viking fan, he enjoyed his last live game from the sidelines of the Metrodome. He was previously married to the former Sharon Johnson who preceded him in death. He married the former Micki Morgan Kleimola on July 25, 1987, at Lake Michele in Hurley. She survives. Also surviving are three children, Mike (Kate) Lahti, Brentwood, Tenn., Sheri Lahti, Ironwood, and Mark Kleimola, Minneapolis, Minn.; two grandchildren, Eric and Sarah Lahti, Brentwood; his mother, Bernice Lahti, El Paso; four sisters, Pat Kohr, Santa Paula, Calif., Sonia Skaggs, Moses Lake, Wash., Linda (Larry) Dautrich, Wichita, Kansas, and Ani (Andy) Mouland, El Paso; numerous nieces and nephews; his mother-and-father-in-law, Jeannie and Barts Tibaldo, Ironwood; sister-and-brothers-in-law, Paula and Mike Chapman, Arlington, Tx., Jim Tibaldo (Darci DeMeio), Neenah, Wis., and Dan Tibaldo, Ironwood Township; and his former mother-in-law, Nina Dyer, and former brother-and-sister-in-law, Gary and Marla Dyer, all of Los Lunas, N.M. At Jim's request, cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Jim's Life will be held Saturday, July 12, at 11 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. Chips Paulson officiating. In accordance with Jim's wishes, colorful, casual attire would be appreciated. A reception will follow at Tacconelli's in downtown Ironwood. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Regional Hospice, N-10561 Grandview Lane, Ironwood, MI 49938, or to the American Cancer Society, Upper Peninsula Area, 1400 S. Carpenter, Iron Mountain, MI 49801. To view Jim's obituary online, sign the guestbook or express condolences, visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick and Engstrom Funeral and Cremation Services of Ironwood and Hurley