On Aug. 20, 2011, family, friends and musicians from around the country came to Big Sky, Montana, in a memorial service for Walkin' Jim Stoltz. The celebration was organized by Jim's wife, Leslie Stoltz, and MUSE (Musicians United to Sustain the Environment) a group Jim cofounded.
The following day Leslie and a handful of others began a four-day hike into the Scapegoat Wilderness to scatter Jim's ashes on top of a mountain , as he had requested.
ALDHA was represented by Warren Doyle, Ed and Liz Tuchler, Jeanette Russell, and Frank Krajcovic. Frank spoke, Warren spoke and sang acapella (if you have never heard Warren Doyle sing, it is impressive.) Ed spoke and sang a few songs using Walkin Jim's performance guitar, which Jim had left to Ed. (See photo at left.)
Other speakers included Jim's kidney donor, John Giacalone, and Jack Noll, who had hiked with Jim on some of the northern portions of the Yellowstone to Yukon hike. Singers included Jim's sister, Susan Grace, from Alaska; Dana Lyons, from Alaska; Earth Mama Joyce Rouse, from Michigan; Emma's Revolution, from the Washington DC area, Dakota Sid Clifford and his son Travers, and a number of musicians from the Big Sky area. As a finale, everyone held hands in a great circle while Susan Grace led us all in singing "Forever Wild." (See photo above.)
It is wonderful to see how Walkin' Jim's spirit is living on. Leslie is working with others to put together Jim's "Forever Wild" show in electronic forms. Some of their work can be seen on YouTube, and at least one DVD should be coming out before long.
If you know of Jim's closeness with children, you will not be surprised that there is a "Kid For The Wild Camp," and that the kids made prayer flags that were on display at the celebration and were carried and displayed at each campsite along the way when Jim's ashes were disposed of. If you are interested in making donations to a scholarship fund for the camp (there were two given out this year), send it to MUSE, Kid for the Wild Scholarship, P.O Box 1512, Helena, MT 59624. If you are interested in a Walkin' Jim Water bottle (merely the coolest water bottle ever!) they are available in three colors (including pink!) from MUSE as well as from ALDHA at the Gathering. (See photo below.)
And of course, Jim's spirit lives on in ALDHA, where we sing his song, "To the Gathering Again," at every Gathering.
Those of us who attended got to see pictures of Jim as a young boy (wearing a bow-tie!) and Jim's high school picture (clean shaven, shoulder length hair, wearing a suit and tie.) There were other visual artifacts including something he wrote many years ago stating that when he died he wanted to be fed to a Grizzly Bear.
Mostly, it was a great coming together of people who loved and respected Walkin' Jim Stoltz. There is talk that it may become an annual event. If it does, I may make it up there again.
Frank Krajcovic
The Merry Slav
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