Costa Mesa, CA - Dr. James "Jim" William Erdahl passed away peacefully at the age of 78 from pancreatic cancer on May 19, 2026 in Costa Mesa, California.

Jim was born on October 9, 1947, in Minneapolis, the only son of Lorna Zemke and Luverne Erdahl. Raised in Minneapolis, Jim graduated from Robbinsdale High School in 1965. Jim enrolled at St. Olaf College in Northfield, and earned degrees in both chemistry and physics. He graduated in 1969 and moved to Philadelphia to attend Hahnemann Medical School. He graduated with his medical degree in 1973, followed by a three-year Internal Medicine residency at Abington Hospital in suburban Philadelphia. During his training, Jim met recently graduated nurse, Christine Grant. An inseparable pair, Chris and Jim married in Philadelphia in August 1979. Jim happily folded into Chris's family, as her three younger brothers and younger sister became his own.

After working as an internist in Philadelphia, Jim completed his cardiology fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 1981. He and colleagues then opened the Southdale Heart Clinic in Edina, which would later become the Minnesota Heart Clinic. The practice developed as a premier center for private clinical and interventional cardiology care in the Twin Cities, and today is MHealth Fairview Southdale Cardiology. Jim spent countless hours at Southdale Hospital and the Ridges Hospital. For "Dr. J," it was a deep privilege to care for his patients, and he did so until his retirement in 2019. He said his forty-year career was not long enough, and given the opportunity, he would have returned to practicing medicine in a heartbeat (pun intended).

Jim was passionate about cardiology, but he was even more passionate about his family. Together, Chris and Jim welcomed two daughters: Jaclyn Christine (1985), and Jamie Marie (1988). The universe knew Jim possessed the tenderness of spirit required to be a "girl dad." He taught his daughters to ride bikes, painted pumpkins every Halloween, emptied his pockets of quarters for hot cocoa at ice skating lessons, and shuttled ski equipment to Hyland Hills on Friday nights. Jim passed his love for basketball on to his daughters by filling his weekends with coaching them at every level.

After spending 21 years in their Bloomington home, Jim and Chris moved to Lake Minnetonka in 2009. In their 13 lakefront years, Jim and Chris hosted family gatherings, Fourth of July celebrations, spectated Saturday sailboat regattas, and watched the Vikings on Sundays.

Jim believed he won the lottery twice with the sons he gained through marriage; he adored Eric (Jaclyn) and Sam (Jamie) with the same depth he felt for his daughters. Jim's luck continued when he became "Pop-Pop", quickly turning him into a doting and indulgent grandparent to his five grandchildren: William Lewis, Brooke Marie, Emily Anne, Avery Ann, and Nora James.

In 2022, Chris and Jim left Minnesota and ultimately settled in Southern California, where he remained in close proximity to his daughters and grandchildren. When not in California, Chris and Jim spent happy, peaceful days at their condo in Naples, Florida, among Minnesota friends and frequent visitors.

Jim and his family learned of his diagnosis in February 2026. He was able to make one last trip to the mountains of Utah to watch his grandchildren learn to ski and enjoy the snowflakes. Jim received an abundance of concern, care, love, and support from his beloved community during the short course of his illness. It was clear in his final months just how special Jim was to so many people.

Jim is survived by his wife, Chris, of 46 years, his daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, a large family and many friends.

He is in our hearts, in every sense of the word.

Jim's Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Hyland Hills Ski Chalet, 8800 Chalet Rd, Bloomington, MN.

http://jimerdahl.rsvpify.com/