James M. Splinter, age 62, of Mound, Minnesota, formerly of Dubuque, Iowa, passed away January 22, 2025, after a courageous five-year battle with brain cancer.

Friends and family may visit from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday January 30, 2025, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road with a sharing time to be held at 6:30 p.m.

Jim was born on February 26, 1962, in Sageville, Iowa, Jim grew up learning the value of “work hard, play hard” with his many siblings and friends in the local gardens, farms and bars. He graduated Cum Laude from Loras College in Dubuque, IA, in 1984 with his bachelor’s degree in business. He also completed the University of Minnesota School of Management Executive Program in 2002. His prolific business career began at FDL Foods (Dubuque Packing Company) and culminated in 36 years at Hormel Foods. His strategic, visionary mindset created many unique branding and marketing innovation successes for the company. As his numerous mentees and collaborators can attest to, his love of sharing his knowledge and experience to help others grow was unparalleled. To those who know, continue to…“Please Handle.”

His profound spirit of giving back will live on in all those whose lives he touched. He supported many noble causes including the YMCA, Austin Community Rec Center, Hormel Institute, Project SPAMMY, University of St. Thomas, Dougherty Family College, United Way, and Mayo Clinic.

Jim’s greatest success by far was his family and life-long friendships. He loved spending time and making memories with them all on the lake, on the mountain, at MN Twins games, at IA Hawkeyes games, cheering on his 49ers, playing Euchre or just bullsh*tting and drinking a Busch Light. His singing and dance moves were legendary.

He was so incredibly proud of “his girls” – wife Vicki, daughters Averi and Haley, and granddaughters Arya and Baby Meschke. To express his pride and love to them and to his siblings, he wrote his memoir A Love Letter to My Family in 2022. He is so loved and already dearly missed. Let us not be sad his time with us is over, but instead happy it happened.

Survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Vicki (Habel) Splinter; daughters Averi (Kyle) Hoen and Haley (Tim) Meschke; granddaughters Arya Hoen and Baby Meschke; sister Renee (Mike) Meyer; brothers Tom (Janice) Splinter and John (Mary Jo) Splinter; brother-in-law Tony (Kerry) Habel; sister-in-law Kim Habel; stepmother Beth Splinter; and many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his loving parents Paul and Joyce (Kies) Splinter, brothers Ralph and Ted Splinter, stepfather Ken Splinter, in-laws Bill and Mary (Green) Habel, and sister-in-law Kelly (Habel) Trumm.

Special thanks to the many doctors and staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for their unwavering dedication and support. If you are so moved, please consider donating in Jim’s name to ongoing cancer research. Until a cure is found, may we all continue fighting.