Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of Br. James F. Heidrick, SJ, who died on January 8, 2025 at St. Camillus Jesuit Community in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 86 years old. May he rest in peace.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Eleanor (nee Lane) Heidrick and his brothers: Thomas Heidrick, Jerry Heidrick, and William Heidrick. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Jim was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 18, 1938 and, at an early age, lost most of his ability to hear. Before entering the Society, was a radio and tv repairman. After a postulancy period, he entered the Wisconsin Province on March 10, 1960 at St. Stanislaus Novitiate in Florissant, Missouri. Jim made Tertianship at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan, and pronounced final vows on November 6, 1971 at Creighton University.
After novitiate, Jim spent two years in the juniorate at Jesuit College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, where he studied electricity among other things. In 1964, Jim was missioned to Omaha where he ministered in the Creighton University maintenance department for almost six decades (1964-2021). He began working on electrical needs and repairing dental equipment, telephones, and televisions. Later, Jim received an assignment to help in the locksmith area and came to be known on Creighton’s campus as the “keeper of the keys”. The September 10, 2009 edition of the Creightonian states:
Through the years, Brother Jim worked as the electrician, the grounds engineer, the boiler room supervisor, the plumber, the radio, TV and telephone repairman and worked on roof repairs of several buildings. His most notable trade has been that of a locksmith. In 1984, Heidrick took over the job from George Flicker and since then, he’s kept a tight record of every single key for campus buildings and even buildings off campus, including Creighton University Medical Center and other clinics.
In 2021, he was missioned to St. Camillus Jesuit Community to pray for the Church and the Society.
Jim was profoundly hearing impaired, but that did not stop him from making friends and being a skilled worker. He read lips. He had a delightful sense of humor. He was respected and deeply admired. He was close to his nieces and nephews.
Fr. Andy Alexander, SJ, wrote:
Brother Jim was a great Jesuit. As he rode his scooter across Creighton’s campus in his critical role as the university’s locksmith and key maker, Jim was well known and loved. He was a delight in community, and faithful to daily Mass. He shared in small group settings his childlike faith with the depths of an intimate companion of Jesus. Here at St. Camillus, as he went through his diminishment, the staff admired him with great affection.
Fr. Jeff Loebl, SJ, shares these memories of Jim:
Though Jim Heidrick did not hear the way most people hear, he truly “heard God’s Word,”– he received God’s Word and proclaimed it in ways that few of us could. His daily participation in the Mass was a real cornerstone for our community. His presence up front in the chapel near the tabernacle intently reading his missalette, no matter what kind of pain he was feeling, was a profound presence for all of us as we celebrated the presence of Christ at the altar. It was a paradigm of how he lived and ministered throughout his Jesuit life. As he lived in community, eating at the table, he was more keenly attuned to what was going on. He could lovingly and laughingly keep track of how many helpings everyone was having at breakfast. He would hold up how many fingers to let you know if he saw you taking an extra bit of bakery or another piece of bacon.
An article featuring Jim was published in 2021 on the USA Midwest Province’s website. Click here to read the article: “A Jesuit’s Journey: A Brother’s Vocation”