JAMES A. BATCHELOR, age 86, of Loyal, WI, passed away on Monday, April 18, 2022 at Clark County Rehab & Living Center in Owen, WI.  Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, April 29, 2022 at Loyal United Methodist Church.  Rev. Kathy Jury will officiate, and burial will follow in the Loyal City Cemetery.  Visitation will be held at the church, on Friday, from 9am until time of service.

     James Arthur Batchelor was born on April 12, 1936 in Millville, WI, the son of Harry E. and Ida E. "Betty" (Caldwell) Batchelor.  He was raised and received his education in the Boscobel, WI area, graduating from Boscobel High School in 1954.  Jim was united in marriage to Jeannine C. Hoffman on July 19, 1959 at Benton United Methodist Church in Benton, WI.  He attended UW-Platteville, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, and later completed his Master’s degree in Administration at UW-Superior.  His first teaching assignment was in Blue River, where he taught English and coached football and wrestling.  Jim then taught at Cumberland High School, and later moved to Cadott High School, where he served as principal.  He moved to South Wayne, WI where he was the District Administrator for the Black Hawk School District until 1973, when he moved to Loyal.  Jim served as the Jr./Sr. High School principal until retiring in 1992.  After retiring, Jim served as a substitute teacher at several schools in Clark County until 1999.  He started a woodcarving business, "Stumble Duck Productions", and was an instructor for Hunters’ Safety for more than 30 years.

     Jim had many interests, but especially enjoyed woodcarving, shooting trap, fishing, hunting, cooking, shaking dice for coffee at Grandma's Kitchen, and was the announcer for many Loyal Corn Fest parades.

     He was a member of the Loyal United Methodist Church, served on the Loyal City Council, was a member of the Loyal Lions Club, and was an avid spectator of all Wisconsin sports teams, including local high school sports.

     Jim is survived by one son: Lance (Sheila) Batchelor of Owen; one daughter: Amy (Peter) Lang of Birchwood; four grandchildren: Kassie (Steve) Wagner of Luxemburg, Kenadi Batchelor of Brown Deer, Jacob (Lindsey) Woerle of Kewanee, IL, and Olivia Woerle (fiancé Ian Dickie) of Loveland, CO; two brothers: Gene Batchelor of Fennimore, Doug Batchelor of Boscobel; nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jeannine, on June 23, 2017; two children: Bruce James Batchelor on November 27, 1985, Jana Lynn Batchelor on August 26, 1991; and one brother, Jack Batchelor.

     In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jim's name to the Loyal Sportsman's Club, or to a local Hunter's Safety program.