James (Jim) Howard Barber passed away peacefully and in the company of loved ones on May 25, 2020. He was 85 years old. Jim was a deeply caring husband, father and grandfather with a personable warmth and humor that touched everyone he met, young and old alike.
Jim was also a devoted community volunteer who coached youth sports and generously shared his time and personal resources across a range of causes, including meals and other services for the homeless and orphaned children. He served on boards of schools, his church, the Lions Club and the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis, among others.
After growing up in Hayward, Wisconsin and serving in the army in Germany, Jim graduated from the U of Wisconsin and entered General Mills, where he spent most of his career as an executive in the Minneapolis headquarters. At GM, he was an early proponent of diversity hiring and spearheaded those efforts in the 1970s (as featured in Fortune Magazine).
At all stages of his life, he developed lifelong friendships and always put people first, foremost his beloved wife and family. Jim was preceded in death by his wife, parents and one brother and sister, and is survived by one brother (and family), two sons and four grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lions Club International.
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Michelle Hatfield
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My heart goes out to Steve and Jim and both of your families. I will always remember Uncle Jim’s smile and laugh. He was such a fun loving guy who cherished his wife and family very much. His kindness and sense of humor followed him wherever he went. He will be deeply missed.