The Woodlands, TX - James Adolph Heinicke 1931- 2025

He aspired to make a difference. His mantra that he always wanted to share was: "Peace, Hope, Love, Truth, Courage and Joy", and he often reminded us that "Not all the good ideas have been thought of".

Jim was born 25 January 1931 in Elgin, Illinois to Herbert Martin Edward and Elizabeth Carolina Sofia Anderson Heinicke, and he died 15 August 2025 in The Woodlands, Texas. He was 94. He lived his last 7 years in The Woodlands to be near his youngest daughter Carolyn Newman and her family. Jim spent most of his adult life in Norman, Oklahoma.

Jim graduated with honors from Elgin high school in 1948. He was honored with full scholarship offers from both Yale and Harvard. He chose Yale. In 1950 he left Yale concurrent with his father's untimely death and the beginning of the Korean war. He joined the Navy and married Nancy Nielsen, also from Elgin. He spent his Navy career at the Naval Air Base in Norman where he lived 65+ years and built his life. After the Navy, and his University of Oklahoma degree in Education, he pursued a number of endeavors. He worked for IBM in the punch card era, taught 6th grade at Lincoln elementary and was an independent salesman of encyclopedias and other products. He was a founding investor in Naturizer, a 1960's era garbage to fertilizer recycling tech startup. His biggest and longest effort was Nuryt, a unique shorthand writing system he invented to facilitate learning and information sharing.

Jim was predeceased by his former wife of 29 years and mother of his children, Nancy Lou Nielsen Heinicke Burnett; his parents; 3 of his 5 siblings, Betty Ward (Phoenix), Frannie Edwins (Seattle) and Ray Heinicke (Indianola, IA).

Jim is survived by his 5 children and many grandchildren: Norman Edward, Katherine Louise (Elizabeth Cecile Lilly and Christopher James Lilly), William Arthur, Robert Martin (Christina Mai Heinicke and Johnathan Minh Heinicke), Carolyn Lenore (Samuel Thomas Sheldon, Suzanna Elizabeth Sheldon McLellan); as well as step great-grandchildren: Annette Lottie Newman, Gregory Otto Newman, Isa Henrietta Newman, James Thorin Newman, and Cormoran Blake Newman. Survivors also include brother Ken of Lyon, MI, sister Mary Ellen Byerly of Mt Vernon, WA. and his longtime special friend Mary Berkheimer of Norman.