James Robert Hertzel

James Robert Hertzel obituary, Parker, CO

James Robert Hertzel

James Hertzel Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Aug. 4, 2024.
It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved father, James Robert Hertzel, passed on July 21, 2024 after a valiant three-month battle with pancreatitis, at the age of 84.

Jim was predeceased by his wife Jean. He is survived by his sister Janet Stephens, his 4 children: June Preston (Don), Jimmy Hertzel Jr. (Andrea), Julie Doyle (Michael), Jill Alcazar (Sergio), 10 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.

Jim was born to Albert and Margy Hertzel in Rochester, New York. After graduating from Edison Technology High School, he went on to join the Navy as an electronics technician on board Antarctic scientific research ice breaker, USS Glacier (AGB-4). Post Navy-service, he worked at the United States Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida for both Lockheed Martin and IBM on the Apollo and Gemini programs. While in Florida, Jim earned a private pilot's license and continued to fly and instruct for the next 6 decades. Upon the Space Center closing, Jim's desire to take care of his father brought him back to Rochester with IBM. There he met Jean, the love of his life.



Jim's professional path included the creation of new businesses, working for IBM, Data General and for Digital Equipment Corporation. His work for DEC led him to relocating to Denver, Colorado to open the new corporate headquarters in the new Denver Technology Center. Denver quickly became Jim and Jean's cherished place to call their permanent home. In 1992, Jim took his vast business knowledge and experience and formed Alumni Consulting Group as CEO, along with his dear friend and business partner-Lynn Leader, and later Jean as CFO.



Jim had a passion to involve himself with his local communities from volunteering with political affiliations - specifically the right-to-work legislation, on boards with the University of Colorado and Disability Law Colorado; down to the neighborhood HOA's.

In the 1990's Jim began traveling from Denver to Tampa, Florida to teach advanced Captain's License Sea School. He and Jean soon purchased a home in Tampa allowing them to continue their active lifestyle including playing golf, biking, and trapshooting during the winter months.



All who knew Jim knew his zest for life and competitive spirit. He quite simply strove to excel at everything he did, whether it was business, sailboat racing, trapshooting, flying his plane, skiing, or golf. Jim gave his very best to everything. Though new to the sport these last few years, Jim was so in love with the game of Pickleball he became certified as a national Pickleball coach. If you've ever had the honor of being in a classroom, on a court, on a trap field, on the water or in the air with him, you know Jim was an excellent instructor.

Jim will be remembered at a private family military funeral at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

Friends and family are welcome to join a Celebration of Life to be held on Saturday October 5, 2024, 12 to 3 pm. at the Heritage Eagle Bend Clubhouse in Aurora, Colorado.



The Jim Hertzel Memorial Pickleball Tournament will take place immediately after at the Heritage Eagle Bend Pickleball courts from 3:30 to 5:30pm.

The Hertzel family would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Roberta Heumann for her loving care and support for Jim and our family during these past few months.



In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Advent Porter Hospital - G.I. Floor, which will go to support the exceptional nurses and doctors that took care of Jim during his last month of life.

AdventHealth Porter Foundation

P.O. Box 913401

Denver, CO 80291-3401

Website online donations: www.rmahf.org

Click on Porter or Laura Fitch and you will be directed to the donation site - please put Jim Hertzel on memo line.

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Sign James Hertzel's Guest Book

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November 20, 2024

Kristin Rorapaugh planted trees.

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar posted to the memorial.

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar posted to the memorial.

Single Memorial Tree

Kristin Rorapaugh

Planted Trees

Jill Alcazar

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar

August 9, 2024

Don Haag

August 8, 2024

I graduated from Edison Technical High School with Jim, after four years of study and four years of raising hell. We moved on to the US NAVY, with two other Tech. graduates. The four of us were assigned to the USS Glacier, the US Navys largest ice breaker. We proceeded to make two five-month cruises to Antarctica. This included: rescuing several foreign ships that were stuck in 20-foot-thick ice, exploring areas where no other human had ever set foot on, dropping scientist off at certain unexplored locations and visiting several counties as we travelled to and from Antarctica.

After spending several years studying, working and playing with Jim, along with communicating with him for over the phone for 50 years and seeing him in visits (Colorado and HIS NY) I can say: Jim was a caring human being, one of the smartest I have ever known, ambitious, hardworking, and above all very, very successful.

God bless Jim and his wonderful family.

Don Haag

Kathy Hertzel

August 5, 2024

Very sad to hear that Jim has left us. Jim was the only cousin on my father's side that I ever knew. My memories go back to when I was a small girl and my mother cleaned the house for his father & Jim every week. He was in high school at the time. I will miss you, Jim, even though we may not have seen each other in recent years I always knew you were there.

Jerry Hertzel

August 5, 2024

Bring Jim's 1st cousin I have a lot of memories of him and what has been said above is a nice summary of who he was.
Two quick memories...when I was in my teens I took a bus from Rochester to Fla. and got to spend time with Jim at the Cape during the height of the space program.
50 years pass and I spend time with Jim and Jean in Fla. again this time playing golf and shooting trap with a couple (Jim and Jean) senior champion trap shooters.
Lots of good memories..RIP Jim and Jean

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Sign James Hertzel's Guest Book

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November 20, 2024

Kristin Rorapaugh planted trees.

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar posted to the memorial.

August 9, 2024

Jill Alcazar posted to the memorial.