James Heeren

JAMES HEEREN

Cedar Rapids

James Heeren, 73, died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, at his home following an extended illness. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, with military honors accorded by the U.S. Army. Interment will be in the Hopkinton Cemetery at a later date. Friends may call from after 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.

Surviving include his mother, Mae Marie Heeren, Sand Springs; a son, James, Las Vegas, Nev.; a daughter, Shannon Heeren, Madison, Wis.; and his siblings, Michelle (Phillip) Legate, Marion, George (Cathy) Heeren, Cedar Rapids, Rick Heeren, Springville, Alecia (Stephen) Lewis, Des Moines, and David (Krissy) Heeren, Bloomfield.

He was preceded in death by his father, Elmer; and siblings, Pam Lewis, Juanita Manternach and Gerald Heeren.

James Arthur Heeren was born Feb. 16, 1944, at John McDonald Hospital, Monticello, Iowa. He was the son of Elmer and Mae Marie Martin Heeren. Jim graduated from the Monticello Community Schools in 1962. He then worked at Freese Motors before serving in the U.S. Army. Following his discharge from the Army, he worked at Rapids Chevrolet in the frame and front end department. In 1976, he became a salesman at Jim Miller Plymouth in Cedar Rapids and continued with Jim Miller as they transitioned into a Nissan dealership. He retired in 2007 after 31 years. Jim Miller considered him a great friend as well as an employee.

Jim was a member of the Cedar Rapids Corvette Club and was an international representative for the club as well. He worked at Hawkeye Downs in the Pit Shack for years and oversaw and organized the Falstaff 100 at the track. He worked as a gas man at the Permatex 400 Grand National Series in Daytona for Bill McDonough in 1972. He had attended many Indy 500 races over the years.