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James Wendel Erickson (Jim)

James W. Erickson (Jim)

1928 – 2016

James Wendel Erickson (Jim) died September 30th, 2016 at 88 years of age.

Jim was born on March 30, 1928 in St. James, Minnesota to Della and Roy Erickson, and spent his childhood days in St. James along with his sister JoAn.

Jim graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1952 with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Administration. He accepted a position in the chemical plant of Esso in Baton Rouge, La., where he met Sally Roane, of Jeanerette Louisiana. They were married in 1953 and had three daughters: Janice, Joanne and Lisa. Janice lives in Lydia, Louisiana with her husband Gregory Dekeyzer. Their two children, Roane and Marie Claire, are university students in Louisiana. Lisa and her husband Eduardo Ocampo live in London. Their son Daniel graduated this summer from Columbia University in New York City. Joanne, an active Steamboat resident, claims credit for encouraging Jim to move to Steamboat.

Jim’s career with Esso/Exxon spanned 21 years across many locations in the United States and Europe, including heading Exxon operations in Spain and Portugal. In 1975, Jim formed an oil trading consulting company based in Madrid, Spain, with offices in Switzerland, Germany and England and operations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Libya and Nigeria. Jim enjoyed success with his business ventures, which he managed until his retirement in 1995.

Upon retiring, Jim moved back to the United States to Sarasota, Florida and Avon, Colorado. He met Patricia Blasiola in Sarasota with whom he found great happiness until her passing in 2009.

Jim moved to Steamboat in 2010, where he settled into Mountain View Manor, a wonderful community of senior citizens. He embraced Steamboat and made it his own, becoming a board member of Routt County Council on Aging, initiating and leading the Energy Discussion Group and joining St Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Although he could no longer ski or play tennis, he frequently said, “Steamboat is the BEST retirement community in the whole world”.

Jim Erickson was very happy to have had the opportunity to live the last years of his life in the community of Steamboat.

A memorial service will be held at St Paul’s Episcopal Church on June 3rd, 2017 at 3:00 pm. All friends are invited to join to celebrate Jim’s life. In lieu of flowers, contributions to St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Routt County Council on Aging, Lift Up and/or Hospice would be welcome.


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