Jim Hartz passed away on July 21, 2025. He was born in Bay City, Michigan on June 25, 1944.
Jim was an early student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, since 1973 or so. His illustrious and full life included early years as an anti-war activist during the Vietnam War, a “brother” at Thomas Merton’s monastery Gethesmani, and then a practitioner and teacher with Trungpa Rinpoche’s sangha. Jim was a poet and writer, Director of The Poetry Center in San Francisco, and taught poetics theory and writing at San Francisco State University. He researched and wrote on the correlations between Trungpa Rinpoche’s and Thomas Merton’s teachings, a subject close to his heart. He lived his last several years in Boulder.
There will be a brief ceremony for Jim with his body at Greenwood and Myers Mortuary, 2969 Baseline Road, Boulder at 3pm on Thursday, July 24. If you are coming, please be on time, as the time window for the ceremony is short.
Jim has been an indelible, highly literate, eloquent and intelligent presence in our community for many years. We wish him a journey graced with the exuberance and passion with which he lived this life.
