James F. Black

James Findlay Black, a resident of Austin for the past 33 years, passed away on the 24th of September, 2021. He was born on the 22nd of January, 1927 to James F. and Catherine Black in New York City. Preceded in death by his mother in 1984, his father in 1993, his sister Marion in 1996, and his wife Trudy in 1999, he led a full and eventful life.

In his youth, James was a dedicated figure skater, and at age sixteen, he auditioned for the Center Theatre Ice Show in NYC and was accepted as a member of the cast working for the famous Sonja Henie. Nearly two years later, in February 1945, he entered Military Service. Later in the year, he became a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division, making nine jumps before returning home in January 1947 after a tour of duty with the Army of Occupation in Japan. Taking advantage of the GI Bill, Mr. Black completed his High School education later in 1947. He then attended evening school at the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn from which he graduated in 1949 with a certificate in Chemistry. Continuing evening school at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, he graduated in 1960 with a Baccalaureate in Chemistry, receiving an award for the best thesis in the entire evening school.

Married on April 7, 1951 to Gertrude (Trudy) Dunlop, James became a devoted husband, and in 1955 and 1958, a loving father to daughters Deborah and Heather.

His employment history, in solid state science and technology, started in 1949 and included Sylvania Electric Research Laboratories, later General Telephone & Electronics Laboratories, at Bayside, NY. Then, in 1972, at United Aircraft Research Laboratories, later United Technologies Research Center, in Hartford, CT, and finally in 1988 as one of the Start-Up-Team of Sematech in Austin, TX, from where he retired in 1991. During his technical career, Mr. Black was credited with authorship or co-authorship of 38 publications in various scientific publications, and was inventor or co-inventor on 7 patents. He was particularly proud of taking part in the early research and development of compound semiconductors, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, the laser microscope, fiber optics, and silicon micromechanical devices.

Jim was active in the Presbyterian Church, serving as Deacon at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Huntington, NY from 1971 to 1973 and at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX from 1998 to 2004. Commissioned as a Stephen Minister at Shepherd of the Hills in 1999, he continued to serve in that capacity until 2006. Jim was also engaged in Austin Area Alzheimer’s Support Groups, South Austin Caregivers Association, and the SHPC Bread Project, in addition to other church and service activities.