James Leon Heathman, son of Walter J. (1878-1968) and Dollie D. (Allen) (1880-1965) Heathman, was born 24 April 1911 Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan. He graduated in 1929 from Okemos High School. James participated in both Track & Field and Football while in high school.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Friday 21 September 1928
OKEMOS HIGH ELEVEN TO PLAY STOCKBRIDGE
Okemos, Sept. 21 - The Okemos High football squad, will play its first game of the season, at Stockbridge, Friday. J. E. Soper, the new coach believes the team to be well organized. All except two members of last year's squad are on the team.
Following is the lineup: Cleo Beaumont, Fred Miles, Sterling Alf, Tom Hudson, James Heathman, Ralph Webster, Asa Cudworth, Orla Currier, Fred Whitmyer, Martin Ohm, Rex Wilkins Andrew Stough and Ralph Strayer.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Friday 26 April 1929
OKEMOS-HOLT MEET SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY
Okemos, April 26 - Okemos and Holt will meet here Friday afternoon at 3:30 in a track contest. Students participating in the meet are:
James Heathman, Fred Miles, Tom Hudson, Cleo Beaumont, Sterling Alf, Rex Wilkins, Gaylord Watts, Arthur Redman, Ralph Webster, Robert Kurtz, and Bernard Young.
James married Lula Eleanor Houseman 7 July 1933, Steuben County, Indiana. Lula, born 17 January 1912, St. Johns, Clinton County, Michigan, retired in 1974 from A & P. James, a World War II Navy veteran, was a professional chef. The couple had 5 children. Son, James Allen, born 1 January 1934, joined the US navy in 1952. Unfortunately, according to an application for military veteran headstones, James was "killed in auto accident at Ashland, Ohio while an unauthorized absentee from the naval service," 16 January 1954. James Allen had been picked up in Ohio while hitchhiking by a trucker. The truck driver and James were killed in a head-on collision with another truck. James Allen was interred Maple Grove Cemetery, Mason, Ingham County.
James Sr. died 29 May 1973 Lansing.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 30 May 1973
HEATHMAN, JAMES L.
226 E. ASH ST., MASON
Age 62, died Tuesday, May 29 at a local hospital. Born April 24, 1911 in Ingham county he had been a resident here all his life. He was a chef by profession, now retired. Surviving is the wife, Lula; two daughters, Mrs. Judith E. Franke, and Mrs. Delores VanHorn both of Mason; two sons, Thomas J. Heathman of Okemos and Jack L. Heathman of St. Paul, Minn.; eight grandchildren; one brother, George W. Heathman of Coleman, Mich.; one sister, Mrs. Boyden Hubbard of Okemos. He was a member of Lansing Lodge No. 33 F and AM, a veteran of World War II in the U.S. Navy. Services will be held Thursday May 31 at 2:30 p.m. at the Ball-Dunn chapel of the Gorsline-Runciman Co., Mason, Mich. Rev Keith L. Hayes of the First United Methodist church, Mason officiating. Interment in Maple Grove cemetery, Mason.
Lula died 2 June 2003. She was interred with James in Maple Grove Cemetery, Mason.