James W. "Jim" Barden
August 22, 1945 - April 04, 2026
Obituary
LIVESTREAM SERVICE:
Jim's Livestream Service will begin at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Scroll down to the Webcast section and click on “Watch Now.”
FITCHBURG - James W. “Jim” Barden, age 80, of Fitchburg, passed into eternal life on Holy Saturday, April 4, 2026.
Jim grew up in Monona and graduated from Monona Grove High School in 1963. After graduating, while his family was away on vacation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served three years on the USS North Hampton. This was the Presidential Command Ship also known as "The Floating Pentagon." He returned home and attended Wisconsin School of Electronics. He met and married Diane Pond and in 1973 they were blessed with a baby girl, Jamie. She was the light of their lives. He was hired by Wisconsin Telephone (AT&T) where he was an engineer until his retirement in 1994. He enjoyed volunteering with the AT&T Telephone Pioneers.
In 1983, Jim married Gina Kinney. They built their house in Fitchburg on the Kinney family farm. They shared a wonderful life together traveling extensively in the U.S. and abroad with friends and family, alike.
In 2003, Jim suffered a devastating brain aneurysm. He survived it at the hands of Dr. Robert Dempsey and his amazing team at UW Hospital. With a lot of hard work, Jim was able to enjoy life again. He was a "car guy." He loved his Chevys... especially the three Corvettes he owned. A perfect day for Jim would be to go to the races at Elkhart Lake preferably the June Sprints.
Jim has been accused of having a dry, wicked sense of humor. He would quietly and quite unexpectedly come out with hilarious observations. However, he was best known as a really nice guy, a wonderful, kind, generous man. He had a big heart for anyone less fortunate as well as all the rest of us.
Jim leaves behind his wife, Gina; his former wife, Diane Barden; his son-in-law, Todd Gulseth (Heidi); his brother, Bill Barden (Kathy Englebretsen); sisters, Linda Johnson (Pete Spaulding) and Nancy Slinde (Dave Bennett); and two nephews, Sean Stemper (Kristen) and Jon Slinde. He is further survived by his in-laws, Bill Kinney (Carole), Eleanor Cronin, Dan Kinney and Kay Kinney; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Augusta Barden; his daughter, Jamie Gulseth; brothers-in-law, Nels Johnson, Hans Slinde and Ed Cronin; and sister-in-law, Nancy Kinney.
Our special thanks for the extraordinary care provided by the wonderful team at Azura Verona and Agrace HospiceCare. Jim was surrounded by people he considered caring friends and buddies every day.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at HOLY MOTHER OF CONSOLATION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 651 N. Main St., Oregon, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2026. A visitation will be held at the church from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, and also from 9 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Thursday.
Memorials in memory of James W. Barden may be sent to Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Fitchburg, WI 53711. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson Oregon
Funeral & Cremation Care
1150 Park St.
(608) 835-3515