By SUE WELNA
Jim Welna, guided by a genuine interest in how he might make life better for those who shared his world, lived a life of servant leadership. He embodied Maya Angelou’s reflection, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” People lucky enough to cross paths with Jim knew they mattered more than anything else on his agenda. To our great loss, Jim died of recently diagnosed pancreatic cancer on May 26, 2025.
James Jonathan Welna was born on August 17, 1953, in Minneapolis, MN, the first child of Patricia and Virgil Welna. He was soon joined by his sister, Virginia, and then brother, Mark. For the first nine years of his life, the family lived with his maternal grandmother. His foster sister, Pauline, joined the family later in their own home. Early on, Jim learned the value of economy and resourcefulness, and that lesson served him and his family well for his entire life.
In 1967, Jim started at St. Thomas Academy, where he made lifelong friends and realized that the world was brimming with possibilities. Normandale College, Mankato State University, William Mitchell College of Law, the FBI National Academy, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Program, and the Secret Service Executive Protection Program—all of these were tucked into his portfolio but did not begin to describe the person he was. In fact, one of his favorite programs of study was the week-long Yoga Philosophy Course he took in 2022 at the North Shore Silent Meditation Center on the island of Oahu.
People who knew Jim as a business owner were often surprised to learn of his career in public safety. Beginning as a Police Officer for the City of St. Louis Park where he met his wife, Sue, he moved to the Metropolitan Airports Commission, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, first as Police Chief and then as Public Safety Director responsible for police, fire, dispatch, and airport security. After 9/11, he became Deputy TSA Director and Acting North Central Area TSA Director. Jim brought a soft-spoken, well-informed, and clear-eyed perspective to each role and never lost sight of his identity as an “officer of the peace.”
Even as a young adult, Jim already knew he loved to travel, and the stars aligned for him when the airport became his place of employment. Heading to work at the airport each day further whetted his appetite for travel. He and Sue explored the world and took their daughters on journeys abroad many summer and winter breaks. As a member and then as Chair of the ACI World Aviation Security Standing Committee, Jim had meetings around the world, and, to his mother’s delight, he often invited her to go with him. The more he traveled over the years, the more adept Jim became at utilizing frequent flier miles and he knew the system inside and out, a point of thrifty pride.
As a small business owner and community leader, Jim spent countless hours supporting other small business owners, especially in the Seward neighborhood where he and Sue owned Welna II Hardware & Paint for 24 years. During much of that time, Jim was a key player in the Seward Civic and Commerce Association. Jim deeply valued the store’s customers and employees and endeavored to assist and educate both. During COVID, he emailed employees a newsletter every single Sunday evening so all staff would know what was going on at the store. Jim loved the thrill of the deal, not because he wanted to get the better of anyone, but because he took such delight in everyone getting what they needed in the most favorable way possible.
In addition to managing the hardware store, Jim regularly collaborated with private consulting firms as a Project Manager on aviation security and operations audits at US airports and government facilities like Dillon Dam in Colorado. He developed and presented a security training seminar in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Saudi engineers with airport security responsibilities. As a member of the Bar, he served as a legal subject matter expert in several high stakes cases.
Always on the move, Jim regularly biked the nine miles each way to the hardware store. It was a leisurely day if he walked fewer than 16,000 steps, and his cohort at the Lake Harriet Yoga Project knew they would see him most early mornings on the mat. Over the last seven years, many people of the LHYP community became dear friends of this generous and humble problem-solver. When early morning yoga was routinely interrupted by a Parks and Rec employee leaf blowing during practice, Jim arrived even earlier with his own electric leaf blower, clearing the area around the green before practice even began.
Jim was the consummate storyteller, narrating his stories in great detail. He was never boisterous, but he loved the performance of public speaking. During Y2K and after 9/11, his ease in front of the press served to enhance the public’s confidence in the judgement, capability, and prudence of leaders at the MSP Airport. Jim loved to speak in honor of other people and was always the one who rose to thank the emcee or the teacher. This tenderhearted man would cry at sappy commercials and Motown classics. He had a hearty sense of humor that was never at anyone else’s expense but might be just a little bit naughty.
Jim’s favorite titles were husband (sweetheart), dad, and grandpa, and he was cherished in each of these roles. Jim is lovingly remembered and terribly missed by his wife Sue, daughters Jenn (Garrett Ferderber) and Becca (Alex McGruder) and grandchildren, Wren and Rowan Welderber. He is also survived by sister Ginny (Joe Magner) and brother Mark (Cathy) as well as his much-loved nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncle. Services have been held.
