James "Jim" Schlachter

James “Jim” Schlachter, 59, passed away peacefully on December 29 following a courageous battle with cancer. Jim is survived by his wife, Laynie Bird-Schlachter, his two children, Blair Schlachter and Blake Schlachter, and his mother, Nancy Elaine Carpenter.

Jim was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Birmingham, Michigan. Jim graduated from Seaholm High School where he played football and baseball. He attended and graduated from Michigan State University and was a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. Jim was a die hard Spartan fan and spent every weekend wearing his MSU gear, cheering on his beloved team.

In 1989, Jim moved to Atlanta for a career at Bates USA agency working on the Miller Brewing business but media sales was in his blood. His mother was a successful sales executive at the CBS network, and he decided to switch careers to broadcast sales and has been in the business since then. For over 26 years, he had a long and successful media career in Atlanta, most recently at Fox 5 Atlanta.

Jim met the love of his life, Laynie, on New Year’s Day 2015. They were married in 2018 at a beautiful resort in Mexico with friends and family in attendance. Jim and Laynie loved to travel and some of their favorites were Turks & Caicos, San Francisco, Napa Valley and Estes Park, Colorado.

In addition to loving his family, Jim loved golf. He attended numerous major golf events including The Masters, U.S. Opens, PGA Championships and Ryder Cups. He played multiple courses throughout the US as well as overseas, and his favorite was Oakland Hills in his hometown of Bloomfield Hills, MI. Jim was also part of a local “Ryder Cup” team that played together for over ten years. This is where he created a never-ending supply of stories and an infinite bond with friends. Jim was a fierce competitor on the course, but always a true gentleman in victory and defeat. His play earned him the nickname “Pound 4 Pound” as he could hit a driver longer than most. He received this nickname from his actions on the course, but Jim “Pound 4 Pound”, had the biggest heart. His love and friendship, along with his mischievous laugh, will be greatly missed by all that knew him.

Jim will be cremated and his family is having a private ceremony to celebrate his life.

In lieu of flowers, we invite you to make a donation to the American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/ in Jim’s memory.