1931 – 2012

WAYNESVILLE —  James “Jim” O’Heir, died June 16, 2012, at MedWest-Haywood Regional Medical Center.

He was the oldest of eight children of James and Virginia O’Heir, of Chicago.  Jim was pre-deceased by his parents; first wife, Beverly; brothers, John and Richard; sister, Mary Louise, and a granddaughter, April.  Jim very proudly served 20 years as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy.  Combat service included the Korean War, where he was twice decorated for treating wounded Marines, receiving two Purple Hearts for his own wounds. His last oversea duty was as medical administrator of the Naval Support Force, Antarctica, where he was again decorated for rescue of a severely injured shipmate during the Antarctic winter, the first ever mid-winter flight.  After Navy retirement, he ...