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JAMES "JIM" CWO (RET'D) HEYMAN

JAMES "JIM" CWO (RET'D) HEYMAN

HEYMAN
James Albert "Jim" CWO (Ret’d)

It is with sadness we announce the passing of James Albert Heyman, 88 of Truro, on Monday, December 24, 2018. We are comforted that he has found peace; he will be dearly missed. Jim was born in Sweetsburg, Quebec in 1930, to Benjamin Heyman and Mary MacKellar who had recently emigrated from England. He was raised in Saint John and Yarmouth by his wonderful foster family, Colleen and Bowman Pitman, with siblings, Dorothy and Richard Pitman. Jim went to sea at age 15 on the SS Toronga Park and the SS Hants County, sailing the world with the merchant marine for three years. In 1950 Jim enlisted in the Canadian Army and received his basic training at the Royal Canadian School of Infantry. Sergeant Heyman saw action in Korea in1953 with B Company of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. He was with his regiment through the hard-fought Battle of Hill 187, a difficult 20-hour battle. His life was adventurous as a career military man. He became a paratrooper and served four years in Germany where he was present for the raising of the Berlin Wall in 1963. He did two peacekeeping tours in Cyprus in 1964-65 with the International UN force. He served with the Canadian Guards, The Royal Canadian Regiment and the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry with postings in Canada in Petawawa, Trenton, Winnipeg, Borden and NDHQ Ottawa. Command Chief Warrant Officer Heyman retired after 43 years of service in 1984, and then continued working with the cadet corps for many more years, retiring with the rank of Major. His decorations and medals include the Member of the Order of Military Merit, Korea Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea, United Nations Service Medal, United Nations Medal (Cyprus), Canadian Centennial Medal -1967, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal-1997, Parachute Badge, Canadian Forces Decoration (C.D.) and Clasps. Jim would speak of the military life with great pride and affection; he said he enjoyed the life greatly. He would offer with a chuckle that he was good at giving orders. Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way! Jim married his sweetheart Betty MacDonald in Pembroke, Ontario in 1954 and was blessed with a 59-year marriage. They raised two sons, Paul and Jimmy. Jim retired to settle in Perth, Ontario in 1993, spending his summers at Singleton Lake and the Perth Golf Club. He and Betty moved from Perth, Ontario to NS in 2011 to be closer to his son Paul and family. Jim enjoyed teaching and was a keen mentor of life and survival skills to his grandsons, running the gamut from how to safely rappel off a roof to the great value in daily exercise, discipline, punctuality, shined shoes and haircuts. The community of Immaculate Conception Church embraced Jim and Betty and were a wonderful source of friendship and support in their new home of Truro. For many years Jim was a regular with the Kane’s Kitchen work party. Jim is survived by his daughter-in-law, Donna (Spracklin); grandsons, David and Jeffrey; sister-in-law, Colleen Daley; niece, Katie Daley-Reinert (Nate); nephews, Joe Daley (Kim) and Charles Pitman (Marilyn). Jim was predeceased by his wife, Betty; sons, Paul and Jimmy; brother, Tommy (Heyman); brother-in-law, Murray Daley, and family Colleen, Bowman, Dorothy, and Richard Pittman. The family wishes to thank the staff of Fergus Hall, Parkland, Young Street, Truro, for their kindness and careful and affectionate attention to Jim over his residence there the past two years; Connie, Robin, Sherry, Rachel, Heather, Mary Jane and many more, you have been most wonderful, thank you. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m., Thursday, January 3, 2019, at Immaculate Conception Church, 669 Prince Street, Truro, Father Dariusz Miskowicz officiating. Reception will follow in Campbell Hall. Spring interment in Immaculate Conception Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Kane’s Kitchen, Immaculate Conception Church, Truro. (Please note that cheques must be made payable to Immaculate Conception Parish and in the memo line note "Kane’s Kitchen".) Arrangements have been entrusted to Mattatall – Varner Funeral Home, 55 Young Street, Truro. Private messages of condolence may be sent to the family by viewing Jim’s obituary on-line and selecting "Send A Condolence" at: www.mattatallvarnerfh.com

 

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