James "Jim" Robert Paulsen

June 26, 1946 - July 27, 2026

James "Jim" Robert Paulsen, 80, of Moorhead, Minnesota, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on July 27, 2026, at Eventide in Moorhead.

Jim was born June 26, 1946, at Wesley Hospital in Wadena, Minnesota, to Raymond and Dorothy Paulsen. He spent his earliest years on the family farm near Blue Grass, Minnesota, where he attended a rural country school. When Jim was nine years old, his family moved to Fargo, North Dakota. He attended Horace Mann, Lewis and Clark, Agassiz Junior High and Fargo Central High School, graduating in 1964.

Jim developed his strong work ethic at an early age. As a young man, he delivered newspapers for The Fargo Forum and worked at Dahl's Super Valu while attending high school and college. He was also a member of an Explorer troop and participated in the Civil Air Patrol.

After graduating from Fargo Central, Jim attended Moorhead State College, where he earned a degree in business administration in 1969.

On October 3, 1969, Jim married Judith "Judy" Haug. They later divorced in 1989. Together they had three sons: Jeffrey Scott, Justin Robert and Joel Allen.

Jim's professional life reflected both his entrepreneurial spirit and his exceptional understanding of construction and machinery. He began his career working for a construction company in Marshall, Minnesota. After returning to Moorhead in 1970, he worked with G.B. Haug Construction Company before establishing Capital Enterprises, Inc., commonly known as C.E.I. The company specialized in commercial metal buildings and multifamily apartment projects.

Jim was highly respected throughout the regional construction industry. He possessed a rare mechanical mind and seemed able to understand how nearly any machine, system or building worked. Of the many projects he was involved with during his career, the bell tower project at Concordia College remained a particular source of pride.

In 1988, Jim joined Concordia College as a project manager in the Physical Plant. After leaving Concordia in the mid-1990s, he worked for Electric Pump and later Waldor Pump, selling water and wastewater pumping systems to cities throughout Minnesota and North Dakota. Jim was especially gifted at developing lasting professional relationships. Municipal employees, contractors and colleagues trusted his knowledge, valued his advice and enjoyed working with him. Many of those professional relationships grew into enduring friendships.

Outside of work, Jim enjoyed boating and spending time at the lake, visiting with his close friends and driving his beloved 1979 Corvette. He purchased the Corvette in the mid-1980s and proudly displayed it in numerous car shows and parades. Jim also helped organize the Fargo-Moorhead Corvette Club and served as its president for many years.

Jim will be remembered for his intelligence, practical nature and willingness to listen. Family and friends knew they could bring him a difficult problem and receive thoughtful, levelheaded advice. He was curious about how things worked and could often diagnose a mechanical or construction problem simply by listening, observing and thinking it through.

Above all, Jim was proud of his family. He took a genuine interest in the lives and careers of his sons and always wanted to know what projects Justin and Joel were working on. He adored his grandchildren and treasured the time he spent with them. His sons and grandchildren were the greatest sources of pride in his life.

Jim is survived by his sons, Justin Robert Paulsen and his wife, Amy Elizabeth (Pavelka) Paulsen, of Littleton, Colorado, and Joel Allen Paulsen and his wife, Nichole Denise (Dahnke) Paulsen, of Moorhead, Minnesota; his grandchildren, Ava and Mallory Paulsen, and Keira, Trevor, Finn and Elizabeth Paulsen; and his siblings, David (Marie) Paulsen of Glyndon, Minnesota, Steve (Laurie) Paulsen of Audubon, Minnesota, Joanne (Terry) Smeby of West Fargo, North Dakota, and Ron (Sandy) Paulsen of Albany, Minnesota.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Dorothy Paulsen, and his infant son, Jeffrey Scott Paulsen.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. 

Burial will take place following the service at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Fargo, North Dakota.