James R Heinz

Jim was the first to be drafted in his senior year at Shawano High School in 1943. Large quotas of young men were needed as WWII ramped up troops for D-Day. He joined the Navy and took his basic training in Idaho at Farragut Naval Training Center. After completing his training, Pharmacists 3rd Class, Jim was assigned to an LST in the South Pacific. He spent time in New Guinea and Samar in the Philippines where survivors from the ill-fated USS Indianapolis were being treated. He assisted in the care and treatment of these men. Something he would never forget. In late 1945 Jim’s ship was assigned the mission to transport Japanese prisoners from mainland China back to Japan. He spoke much of the disturbing squalor and death witnessed in Shanghai. Jim was honorably discharged in1946. He returned to Shawano to finish high school with some of his fellow draftees. They were granted an accelerated diploma and Jim went on to attend the University of Washington on the G.I. bill. His love of the outdoors led him to choose forestry as a career. After graduation Jim became a forester for the Tigerton Lumber Company. 

 

He made many good friends in Tigerton and eventually met his wife Pauline (Zander) on a blind date. Jim and Pauline were married in Shawano in 1958. They had four children, James, Paula, Michael and Linda, 12 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

 

In 1965 Jim accepted a position as Chief Forester with Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Neopit. He worked to sustain the highly productive forest which  produced some of the finest lumber in the world. In 1976 Jim became president of Menominee Tribal Enterprises. He retired as president in 1984 and continued to consult for the company until 1992. 

 

Jim’s larger than life personality, love for his family, friends and Shawano, made for a wonderful legacy.