James “Jim” Hettig
April 9th, 1950 - December 1st, 2023
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Jim's Obituary
James “Jim” Hettig, 73, of Stevensville, MI died Friday, December 1, 2023 in St. Joseph.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday December 9, 2023 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Deacon Ed Nickel officiating. Internment at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph will be held at a later date. Friends may visit from 10:00 A.M. until time of Service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Lake Michigan Catholic Schools, the Catholic Community Center or Caring Circle Hospice. Those wishing to share a memory of Jim online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com
Jim was born April 9, 1950 at Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor to Herman Hettig, Jr. and Margaret Mary (King) Hettig.
He attended St. Joseph Catholic School (now Lady of the Lake Catholic School). To the surprise of his father, he was able to graduate in 1968 without failing any grades.
He delivered newspapers for the Herald Press in the early sixties and later spent his teenage summers working at the Silver Beach Amusement Park.
After graduating from high school, he attended Lake Michigan College. He received an Associate of Arts degree in 1970, somehow graduating with honors. He worked at New Products while attending college.
In February 1970, he enlisted in the Navel Reserves in Benton Harbor. He was ordered to active duty in February, 1971 and was sent to the USS Nereus in San Diego. The Nereus was a WWII submarine tender about to be replaced. His ultimate destination was the USS Dixon, a brand-new submarine tender. He helped prepare it for its August, 1971 commissioning. His favorite memories of his service were seeing a VW Bus size hole in the brand-new ship (cut to install a mainframe computer ((later welded back together)) and being ordered off of active duty in December, 1972.
He attended Western Michigan University beginning in January, 1973. In December, 1974 he received Bachelors of Business Administration and Bachelors of Arts degrees, cum laude (Latin for above average).
In June, 1975 he was hired by the Department of Defense in Battle Creek, MI as a Systems Analyst intern. In his spare time, he earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from WMU.
Over the next 25 years, he worked for the DoD in Ogden, UT and Chicago, IL, eventually earning a living wage. He was able to retire in June, 2000. He Worked at Pearl Harbor, HI for 6 months in 2001 as a private contractor.
After finally tiring of any work, he took courses at Lake Michigan College learning about stuff he didn’t have time for the first time. He also enjoyed spending most Januarys in San Diego and Honolulu.
He was preceded in death by his parents and older sister Lee Jacques.
He is survived by sisters Robin Halamka and Mary Smith, Brothers-in-law Paul Jacques and Ken Halamka. Seven nieces and nephews: Candace, Kelley, Megan, Joseph, Jared, Michael, and Jenna. Four great nieces and nephews: Kathleen, Samantha, Robert and William. Five great great nieces and nephews: Emmalynn, Owen, Wyatt, Henry, Elijah.
This obituary was written by James Hettig himself.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday December 9, 2023 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Service, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Deacon Ed Nickel officiating. Internment at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph will be held at a later date. Friends may visit from 10:00 A.M. until time of Service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Lake Michigan Catholic Schools, the Catholic Community Center or Caring Circle Hospice. Those wishing to share a memory of Jim online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com
Jim was born April 9, 1950 at Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor to Herman Hettig, Jr. and Margaret Mary (King) Hettig.
He attended St. Joseph Catholic School (now Lady of the Lake Catholic School). To the surprise of his father, he was able to graduate in 1968 without failing any grades.
He delivered newspapers for the Herald Press in the early sixties and later spent his teenage summers working at the Silver Beach Amusement Park.
After graduating from high school, he attended Lake Michigan College. He received an Associate of Arts degree in 1970, somehow graduating with honors. He worked at New Products while attending college.
In February 1970, he enlisted in the Navel Reserves in Benton Harbor. He was ordered to active duty in February, 1971 and was sent to the USS Nereus in San Diego. The Nereus was a WWII submarine tender about to be replaced. His ultimate destination was the USS Dixon, a brand-new submarine tender. He helped prepare it for its August, 1971 commissioning. His favorite memories of his service were seeing a VW Bus size hole in the brand-new ship (cut to install a mainframe computer ((later welded back together)) and being ordered off of active duty in December, 1972.
He attended Western Michigan University beginning in January, 1973. In December, 1974 he received Bachelors of Business Administration and Bachelors of Arts degrees, cum laude (Latin for above average).
In June, 1975 he was hired by the Department of Defense in Battle Creek, MI as a Systems Analyst intern. In his spare time, he earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from WMU.
Over the next 25 years, he worked for the DoD in Ogden, UT and Chicago, IL, eventually earning a living wage. He was able to retire in June, 2000. He Worked at Pearl Harbor, HI for 6 months in 2001 as a private contractor.
After finally tiring of any work, he took courses at Lake Michigan College learning about stuff he didn’t have time for the first time. He also enjoyed spending most Januarys in San Diego and Honolulu.
He was preceded in death by his parents and older sister Lee Jacques.
He is survived by sisters Robin Halamka and Mary Smith, Brothers-in-law Paul Jacques and Ken Halamka. Seven nieces and nephews: Candace, Kelley, Megan, Joseph, Jared, Michael, and Jenna. Four great nieces and nephews: Kathleen, Samantha, Robert and William. Five great great nieces and nephews: Emmalynn, Owen, Wyatt, Henry, Elijah.
This obituary was written by James Hettig himself.
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