James R Hitzemann

James passed away on Friday, October 3, 2008, at the South Shore Care Center in Worthington, Minnesota, at the age of 55.

A Memorial Visitation in Mankato will be held from 5-7 p.m., Saturday, October 4, 2008 at Mankato Mortuary, Mankato.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 6, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., at the American Lutheran Church in Worthington, Minnesota, with Pastor Ryan Radtke officiating. Burial will be in the Worthington Cemetery. A Visitation in Worthington will be held on Sunday, October 5, 2008, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Benson Funeral Home in Worthington.

James Robert Hitzemann, the son of Robert Henry and Dorothy Mae (Hove) Hitzemann was born on March 4, 1953, in Akron, Iowa. His childhood years were spent in Sioux City, Iowa, St. Paul, and Worthington, Minnesota, where he graduated from high school in 1971. James was married twice. His first wife was Lucy Meyerdirk. They had one son, Kevin Hitzemann. His second wife was LaVonne Holteen. They also had a son, Ben Hitzemann. Jim's employment included, road construction, blacktopping, working at the elevator in Everly, Iowa, driving cement truck, delivering seed corn for PAG, and most recently working within the Archer Daniel Midland plant, where he was a union representative. Jim loved to hunt and fish as well as spending time at his camper located on Little White Fish Lake near Mille Lacs.

Left to cherish his memory are two sons, Kevin Hitzemann of Rushmore, MN, and Benjamin Hitzemann of St. Clair, MN; his mother, Dorothy "Dotty" Hitzemann, of Worthington, MN; two sisters, Betty (Gary) Vogl, of Rock Rapids, IA, and Barbara (Ralph) Garberson, of Spencer, IA; one brother, Dennis (Margaret) Hitzemann, of Onamia, MN; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and many devoted friends, including Mary Claeys, who lived with him for ten years. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Hitzemann, his grandparents, and twin nieces, Cassie and Crystal Garberson.