James Patrick Heffron

AUSTINTOWN - James Patrick Heffron, 67, passed away early Wednesday morning, July 19, 2017, at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, following a three-year illness.

James was born Oct. 17, 1949, a son of the late Thomas B. and Gladys Rochow Heffron, and was a 1968 graduate of Austintown Fitch High School.

After high school, he honorably served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Calvary during the Vietnam War.

Mr. Heffron worked for RMI Titanium in Niles for over 40 years, retiring as a millwright in 2013. A jack-of-all-trades and a master of all, Jim always had a project in the works. There wasn’t a thing he couldn’t make or repair, or a job he couldn’t complete.

Jim was a member of the YPPC Gun Club, and was a member of the NRA. He enjoyed trap-shooting and target-shooting, and he loved riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, taking a cross-country trip to Las Vegas in 2013. He also liked visiting casinos and he especially liked to play keno. 

Jim liked gardening, planting flowers, gold prospecting with his son, Jimmy, and feeding birds. He even became a soccer referee because of his son, Brad’s, love of the game. Jim loved spending time with his neighbors, and he helped anyone with anything, if he was asked.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Debra Carfolo Heffron, whom he married April 6, 1974; his sons, James Jr. (Heather Page) Heffron and Dr. Bradley (Phoebe) Heffron; sisters, Barbara (Bill) Pitts and Dolores (Emerson) Shick; a brother, Thomas (Janice) Heffron; a brother-in-law, Robert (Susan) Carfolo; a sister-in-law, Sue Carfolo; many nieces, nephews, and extended family members; and his “fur-baby grandchildren,” Munchkin, Mac, Gia, Frankie, and Baron.

Jim will be truly and sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Besides his parents, his in-laws, Basil and Margaret Carfolo, and a brother-in-law, Chris Carfolo, preceded him in death.

Family and friends may call from 6 to 7 p.m., Friday, July 21, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Rd., Youngstown (casual dress requested), where a memorial service will take place at 7 p.m.

Jim’s family wishes to express heartfelt appreciation to everyone at the Hope Cancer Center and to the nurses at Same Day Care, 2nd Floor of Northside Medical Center. Also, special thanks to the Neuro-ICU nurses at St. Elizabeth Health Center, for the kindness shown and care and comfort given to Mr. Heffron and his family during his illness.

To honor Jim’s memory, his family asks that mourners perform a random act of kindness for a friend, neighbor, or stranger.

Please visit kinnickfuneralhome.com to view and share this obituary, and to send condolences online to Jim’s family.