James Albert Heyman
1930-2018
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
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of James Albert Heyman 19302018..
Source:mattatallvarner funeral home
Death notice for the town of: Truro, Province: Nova Scotia