My Big Brother
Posted for: JAMES BORLAND HIEMENZ:
Jimmy was my big brother. He graduated from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1964, one year after we moved from Texas as my father (James G. Hiemenz) worked for General Electric their on NASA contracts for the Apollo project.

Jimmy spent two years at Daytona Junior College (now Daytona Beach Community College), before moving to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida. After his 4th year in college he enlisted in the Army.

He was lost when the helicopter he was riding on a night mission was hit by a rocket propelled grenade.

Jimmy was well liked by almost everyone he met. He was a "big brother" not only to me, but most of the kids my age in our neighborhood (he was 7 years older than me).

He loved meeting new people and spoke Spanish fluently, although Hiemenz is a German name and he had blond hair and blue eyes. Before moving to Florida we lived in Texas and he had a number of Tex/Mex friends who helped him learn Spanish. His grades in high school Spanish weren't that good when we moved to Florida, as although he spoke the language fluently, his grammer was poor. He spent time at Daytona Beach Junior College with a number of students from South America and refused to allow them to speak to him in English. His Spanish markedly improved and he would often be asked by Spanish speaking immigrants "Just where are you from?" They couldn't understand how he spoke such fluent Spanish with South American accent, but had extremely blond hair and blue eyes.

He loved people, and loved life. All who knew him, still miss him dearly.
Posted by: John W. Hiemenz, MD
Email: JustLeigh2@aol.com
Relationship: He is my brother
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
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