Roll Call Tribute

James Randolph "Jim" Sjurseth 
August 9, 1949 - September 28, 2023 

James “Jim” Randolph Sjurseth, of New Braunfels, Texas passed away on September 28, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 74. He was born August 9, 1949 in Portsmouth, Virginia to Seymour and Betty (Sharpe) Sjurseth.

His father was in the Navy and thus lived in various places including Lynchburg, and Portsmouth Virginia, and even Trinidad. Ultimately, his father moved the family to San Antonio, Texas to finish out his Navy career. And here Jim finished high school, and then moved to College Station to continue his education by studying at Texas A&M University. After receiving a BS in Chemistry, he went on to Graduate school at The University of Texas at Houston, Health Science Center, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and ultimately received an MS with a focus on nuclear medicine.

He worked for Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, IL and southern California. In the early 1980’s he opened a drug manufacturing company producing nuclear pharmaceuticals used in diagnosing cancer. He later sold this company to an industry competitor.

After he sold his business he moved his family to Houston to live on a 42 ft sailboat. Living in Houston with his family, Jim enjoyed sailing and often crewed on other larger boats in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Professionally, he started a new career in computer programming and was a contractor for Nasa and worked in the Shuttle Aeronautics Integration Laboratory producing systems vital for the functioning of the shuttle program.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Theresa Maria (Nordsig) Sjurseth; his son, Geir; daughter, Laura and three grandchildren, Isolde, Zorn, and Alexandria, and by three siblings, Sandy, Susan, and Jeff.

Graveside Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at Hill Country Memorial Gardens, 11700 SH - 46, New Braunfels, Texas 78121.

In the care of Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home.