JAMES (JIM) LEROY LEIBFRIED, PhD

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JAMES (JIM) LEROY LEIBFRIED, PhD

March 16, 1931 - August 7, 2025

Jim, beloved husband of Mary, died on August 7, 2025, with his daughters by his side.

Besides Mary he is survived by four children, Debbie Molzahn, Bryan (Sherry), Joe (Wendy) and Ann (Richard Groen). He is also survived by four grandchildren, Joel Molzahn, Alex (Liz), Carolyn Molzahn and Nick (Kat) and three great-grandchildren, Zoey, Wylder and Ollie. He was preceded in death by his son Ed, son-in-law Werner Molzahn, his parents, LeRoy and Anna, and his siblings, Florence, Eileen, Leo, Dennis and Betty. Other survivors include his honorary son Brian (Tara) Wasylyshyn, Ed’s widow Bev plus a host of other relatives in Minnesota, South Dakota (SD), and other areas of the United States.

Jim was born and reared on farms in Southwest Minnesota, the youngest of the six children of LeRoy and Anna (Kuehl) Leibfried. He started both country school and farm work at an early age and always believed he learned the best lessons in life in those early years with family and friends. He served four years in the United States Air Force, mostly in France during the build-up of NATO. After discharge, he found the farm economy depressed so used the GI Bill to obtain degrees in Economics which enabled him to pursue a career in marketing on behalf of farmers.

During his early college years in Brookings, SD, Jim met and married Mary (Kasdorf) in 1956. Despite having little money, they enjoyed those early years while having five children, earning three degrees and working at numerous jobs in SD, Washington, DC, Michigan, Illinois and Kansas. After completing his PhD dissertation on the International Wheat Agreement, in 1964 Jim was offered the position as Economist with the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) in Winnipeg.

While he initially thought of Canada and the CWB as a short-term learning experience, Jim was quickly drawn into major marketing challenges from the farm gate through domestic handling and transportation and into international negotiations and overseas markets. He spent 11 years as Assistant Chairman of the Canadian International Grains Institute. While being both a dreamer and a doer in the “Big Leagues” of grain marketing, his feet were always firmly back on the soil with farmers.

Tired from the constant pressures and travelling over 21 years, Jim resigned from the CWB at the end of 1985. He then worked as a consultant for another ten years, mostly for the Government of Canada on free trade and GATT negotiations, and on several prairie grain marketing and transportation committees. He and Mary were delighted and honoured to spend two years in Saskatoon where he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He also did some consulting for the World Bank on grain reform proposals for the former USSR and Argentina.

Jim and Mary settled down to country living north of Winnipeg on small acreages for several years. They greatly enjoyed this time together and with their children, grandchildren and friends. While Mary did serious quilting and candy-making, Jim played farmer with his gardening and student with his genealogy efforts.

In 2020 they moved into RiverRidge2 (RR2) assisted living residence where Dad resided until his passing. The family wishes to thank the RR2 staff for helping provide a community of supports for our parents, and especially Dad as he lived on his own with Mom in Middlechurch Personal Care Home.

In respect of Dad’s wishes, a celebration of his life will be planned jointly with Mom upon her passing. They had a true love story for over 68 years and know Dad will patiently wait for Mom to join him and they dance once again.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg for the courtyard - 280 Balderstone, West St. Paul, MB R4A 4A6.

Glen Eden Funeral Home

204-338-7111

Tributes: www.glenedenmemorial.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 16, 2025