James "Jim" M. Jagodzinski

Jagodzinski, James Matthew

Jim was 88 when he passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2020 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was born to Nicholas and Joan Jagodzinski in Northeast Minneapolis. Polish was the language spoken in his home until he entered school. He attended Holy Cross Elementary School and there met the love of his life, Joyce Mae Caron. He went on to attend DeLaSalle High School and the College of St. Thomas where his plan of coaching basketball gave way to a degree in Biology. After graduation, Jim and Joyce married and moved to Fort Worth, TX where Jim served in the U.S. Air Force as a Laboratory Officer attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant. After completing his service in 1956, Joyce and Jim returned to Minneapolis and he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves advancing to Captain. He continued his love for coaching basketball and began his career in medical and scientific instrument sales, first at AS Aloe and later Physicians and Hospital Supply. In 1967, he founded North Central Instruments which provided excellence in microscope sales and service in five states of the upper Midwest. He always had a passion for detail and extended his interests into property development and design for building and renovations of several commercial and residential properties.

Jim and Joyce raised their children while residing in the western suburbs of Minneapolis. Upon retirement, they moved to Bonita Springs, FL and later Naples, FL while continuing to spend summers in Minnesota. Jim enjoyed playing piano, listening to Frank Sinatra, attending events for St. Thomas Alumni, gathering with his friends at the East Side Old Timers Association and an occasional round of golf. He appreciated classic cars, University of Minnesota football and rarely missed a sporting event of one of his children.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Barbara and brother-in-law Eugene Roback, his brother-in-law John “Jack” Brennan and his grandson, Dennis McDermott. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, and their 5 children, Caron Jagodzinski, Mary Leizinger (Patrick) Jayne Myhre (Gary), James Jagodzinski (Margaret) and Joseph Jagodzinski (Kelly); 8 grandchildren, Matthew Leizinger (Alicia), Corinne Thoennes (Dillon), Kathryn Myhre, Kelsey Myhre, James McDermott, Jacqueline Jagodzinski, Jessica Jagodzinski, Nicholas Jagodzinski; and 2 great-grandchildren, Fiona Leizinger and Campion Thoennes. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2020 at the Church of St. Bartholomew, 630 East Wayzata Boulevard, Wayzata. Visitation preceding at 9:30-10:30 a.m. at David Lee Funeral Home 1220 East Wayzata Boulevard, Wayzata. Private burial following at Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope. A special thank you to the care team at Methodist Hospital and Aurora on France for the exceptional attention to Jim during this pandemic.

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