James Sodeman

1943 - 2025

James Sodeman
03/26/1943 - 10/13/2025
James was born in Duluth, Minnesota to Walter Sodeman and Genevieve Reifenberger Sodeman, the youngest of seven children. In 1953 James, brother Paul and their parents moved to Dallas, Texas, where he graduated from Jesuit Prep HighSchool '61. He studied dance (tap, modern, ballet), piano, flute, elocution, and foreign languages. James participated in numerous musical recitals and orchestras as a soloist, winning awards for flute and piano. He received a Bachelor of Music '65 with Honors from Southern Methodist University and a fellowship to study piano at the National Conservatory in Paris and a French foreign teachers graduate program at the Sorbonne, University of Paris. James was a gifted linguist, fluent in German, French, and Spanish, received four language certificates from the Goethe Institutes, Paris and Berlin, and an advanced language certificate from the Morelia, Mexico Language Institute. In 1969 he traveled with niece Franchesca Callejo to Mittenwald, Germany to translate for the purchase of the violin she still plays.
James lived in Paris and Berlin, performing at the Lido in Paris, Casino Ruhl in Nice, in German television, film and theater productions as well as working in the fashion industry, advertising, and free-lance interpreting. James made lifelong friends during these years and visited often after moving to San Francisco in 1977, where he joined his mother, sister Genevieve and her family. He sang and danced as Cole Porter in "A Marvelous Party" at the Savoy Tivoli Theater that year, described by San Francisco "This Week" as suave and elegant singing "I'm a Gigolo" with aplomb. He completed a teaching credential program at San Francisco State but found his linguistic skills were best suited as a international tour and travel program leader working with American Express, Allied Tours and other companies for groups of international bankers, doctors, agriculture specialists, foreign politicians, mayors and business people throughout the United States and abroad. He shared his knowledge of the hospitality industry in presentations for providing multi-lingual, multi-cultural employees for international visitors. In the early 1980's James bought a cabin at Caribou Lake near Duluth, a summer residence he enjoyed for 43 years, hosting visits of family and friends and returning every autumn to San Francisco. James supported the arts in Duluth, the Minnesota Ballet, and enjoyed ballroom dancing. He loved theater, music, ballet and opera. He was a devoted son and brother, fun-loving uncle and great uncle with a unique sense of humor, and a great friend to many, including Kirk Essler, Thomas Hesse and family, Odile Meier, Karen and Jerry Ruona, Tom Kurtovich and Barb Kwam, Amy and Carty Talkington and former flatmates Tsering, Akbar and Fatima, Dibash and Carlos. He played piano at Franchesca and Jim Brighton's wedding and played flute with Franchesca and grandniece Isabel for the family's annual neighborhood Christmas Eve Luminaria and holiday concert. He was the family historian and custodian of important memorabilia. James battled declining health and increasingly challenging medical issues with support from sister Genevieve, Franchesca and Jim, grandnephew Victor, grandniece Isabel and her husband Zach McCoy, and Kirk Essler. Nieces Cathy and Barbara often called, and brother Paul visited him and Genevieve days before their deaths. His was predeceased by siblings Walter, Corrine Allen, Virginia Michelizzi, Joan Rudolph and Genevieve Callejo, treasured friends Katia DuBois, Virginia Savage, Susan Bradley and Ashley Bellamy. He was a daily companion to Genevieve the last six weeks of her life, and died unexpectedly of pneumonia 11 days after her death. Uncle Jim is survived by his loving Bay Area family, sister-in-law Nancy Sodeman, brother Paul, many nieces and nephews and his family of friends. He lived his life to the fullest as he wanted. We welcome your memories of him at legacy.com.