James Anthony Heal |
| Posted 2009-09-29 by Sharla |
| The AZ Daily Sun Thursday, August 13, 2009 James Anthony Heal, 73, died peacefully at home on Monday, August 10, 2009 after a three-month struggle with cancer. He was born March 4, 1936, in Flint, Mich., to Frank and Elizabeth Heal. His family lived in Michigan and Illinois before coming to Sedona in 1948. They later settled in Lakeside and eventually moved to Flagstaff. After high school, in May 1954, Mr. Heal enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and served four years. Upon his completion of recruit training in San Diego, Mr. Heal was named honor man of his company. His deployments as a Sea Bee, Construction Battalion electrician, included the Deep Freeze II project in Antarctica, projects in Guantanamo Base in Cuba, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Roosevelt Roads, R.I. In 1959 after his honorable discharge, he attended Coyne Electric School in Chicago for 14 months and returned to Flagstaff in 1961 where he attended Arizona State College (now NAU). In 1962, Mr. Heal began his 36-year electrical construction career with NJ Shaum and Son, Inc. He was a member of Union 640, Local 2148 and served as president of the local in the 1970s. Some of the major commercial projects on which he worked and/or supervised in Flagstaff included the U.S. Naval Observatory, NAU's Cline Library, numerous dorms, science and engineering buildings, the campus' electrical infrastructure and the Ralston-Purina plant. Upon retirement, Mr. Heal was able to devote more of his time and talents to the local St. Vincent de Paul Society and San Francisco de Asis Parish. He enjoyed inventing gadgetry, wood and metal working, motorcycling, traveling to Dallas or St. Louis and doing Sudoku puzzles. He was a devoted Roman Catholic, husband, father and grandfather. His son Mark, daughter Mary Anne and Helen, his beloved wife of 46 years, were at his side when he died. Other survivors are brothers Joseph X. Heal (Marilyn), John M. Heal (Bonnie), Francis T. Heal (Rose Mary), and Anthony P. Heal (Wista); sister Rosemary Decker (John); four grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Holy Rosary will be recited Friday, at 10 a.m., at The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will also be at the church Friday at 10:30 a.m. Burial with military honors will follow services at Calvary Cemetery. Condolences to the family can be made at www.norvelowensmortuary.com. Arrangements are by Norvel Owens Mortuary. See Also: Find A Grave |
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