James Alan Houlding

James "Jim" Alan Houlding of Forest Lake, Minnesota, previous longtime resident of Bloomington, MN, passed away on Friday, January 10, 2025 at the age of 79. He was born on September 13, 1945 in Minneapolis, MN to Bert and Maxine Houlding, the baby brother to his 3 older siblings.

Jim grew up in Minneapolis and Richfield, MN, where he graduated from Richfield High School in 1963. He attended the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota before enlisting in the Air Force and serving in Mississippi as part of the Radar Squadron. In 1969, Jim and Mary Jo Burns were married and they settled in Bloomington MN, where they raised their daughter, Teresa, and enjoyed 53 years of marriage.

For over 30 years Jim worked as a computer programmer and systems analyst, but his favorite job was after he “retired” and drove school buses in Bloomington for 15 years until 2020, when the COVID pandemic closed down everything, and he finally retired full-time. He was also very active in Bloomington and area community groups: Optimist Club, Richfield/Bloomington Masonic Lodge, cribbage & bridge clubs, Hyland Park ski patrol, Christ Presbyterian Church men’s volleyball, and the Bloomington school district.

Following Mary Jo's death in the spring of 2023, Jim moved to Forest Lake, MN to be near his daughter and five grandchildren. He truly embraced his role as dad and grandpa - never missing a concert, musical, tennis match, braving the cold at Nordic races, and volunteered with teaching cribbage to 3rd graders at St Peter’s. In his retirement, he also enjoyed reconnecting with his sister, being at the library & reading, trips with his family, games of cribbage and Uno, and became a regular at Forest Lake restaurants, where he ate out every night.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jo; his parents, Bert and Maxine Houlding; siblings, Don Houlding Sr., and Nancy Johnson; his in-laws Hugh and Pat Burns; and sister-in-law. Pat Varhol.

He is survived by his daughter, Teresa (Houlding) Rink; son-in-law, Derrick Rink; his five beloved grandchildren, Anthony, Jonathan, Abby, Izzy, and Henry Rink; his oldest sister, Colleen Westlin; numerous nieces and nephews, and his special pup, Cindy.

The family would like to thank Princeton Medical Center and St Croix Hospice for the care and compassion they showed Jim in his final days.

Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Forest Lake, MN on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 11 am. Visitation with the family will begin at 10:00, with light lunch to follow Mass.

Interment to follow at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jim's honor to the American Lung Association or the Memorial Blood Centers.