James Leroy Hiatt

August 11, 1926, and his parents were Alfred Hiatt and Florence Hurst. Jim spent his early years in Forest City, Arkansas, Ontario, Canada and Richmond, IN. In 1944 he moved to Vicksburg, MS to live with his father and stepmother and in May 1944, he graduated from Carr Central High School.

After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in WWII. He trained in bootcamp at QM School and then trained and graduated from PT Motorboat School In Melville, RI. He served on the USS YMS 367 minesweeper in the Philippines. He was discharged in June 1946 in New Orleans, LA and entered Purdue University in September 1946. He graduated from Purdue University in June 1950 with a BS in Air Transportation and enlisted as a 2nd Lt for pilot training in the US Air Force that began his life-long love for flying. WWI Ace and Medal of Honor recipient, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, presented his pilot wings to him in September 1951 at Reese AFB in Texas.

His next duty station was at Tyndall AFB in Panama City where he trained for jet transition training. Upon graduation, he was ordered to the 2nd Fighter Squadron at McGuire AFB at Fort Dix, NJ. From there he was ordered to Ladd AFB in Fairbanks, AK.

After being discharged, he moved with his 1st wife & children to Tucson, AZ, where he taught aerial navigation to both American and foreign pilots for over a year. In 1954, he moved to Long Island, NY to work as an Engineer in the Flight Test Department of the Republic Aircraft Corporation testing the F84 Thunderjet aircraft. In 1955, he joined the New York Air National Guard in White Plains, NY to work as a F04 jet flying Training Supervisor and Instruction in the 137th Fighter Inceptor Squadron.

In 1957, he retired from the NY National Guard and was hired by Boeing to work as an engineer on their various missile programs including Bomarc, Minuteman 1,2, and 3 and the Saturn 5 Program at Cape Canaveral, FL. While working for Boeing, he lived in AL, LA, NM and Washington State. He joined the AF Reserve in Homestead AFB in Florida and flew C119’s and C124’s throughout the world.

In 1971, he made a career change and moved to Ligonier, IN to become Superior Sample Company’s company pilot, Plant Manager and Sales Manager. In 1973, he married his second wife, Lucy Gregory at the Church of Wildwood in Bradenton, FL.

After leaving Superior Sample Company, Jim and Lucy moved to Tallahassee in 1986 to leave the harsh winters behind and to be closer to family. He never stopped learning. He attended Lively Vocational Technical School and obtained an Aircraft Mechanic Air Frame Power Plant Certification. He also obtained his Substitute Teacher’s Certificate and taught both in public schools and at Lively Vo Tech. He loved camping, was a pet lover of both cats and dogs, and played tennis at Forest Meadows with the Golden Boys Tennis Group. He traveled extensively to attend aviation air shows throughout the United States and continued flying until he was seventy-nine with over 8,000 pilot hours. He was a member of Deerlake Church.

He lost his 2nd wife, Lucy, after 43 years to Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. Those left to cherish his memory are his four children: Glenn Hiatt and his wife Susan of St. Helens, Oregon; Kingsly (Hiatt) Musgrove and her husband David of Tallahassee; Cecelia Hiatt of Cromwell, Indiana; and David Hiatt of Tallahassee. He is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Synergy and Fleecie Miller for the excellent care and kindness they gave James during these last four months. The family would like to thank all the nurses and staff at Harbor Chase Memory Care for everything and the kindness extended by Big Bend Hospice will never be forgotten. Lastly, the family must thank Dad’s fellow pilot friend, Allen Campbell, for faithfully visiting him, bringing special lunches and taking him on adventures to Quincy airport.

A funeral service for James will be held Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 12:00 PM at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, 1737 Riggins Rd, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. Following the funeral service will be an interment with military honors at 2:00 PM at Tallahassee National Cemetery, 5015 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Florida 32311.

In lieu flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 10289, Tallahassee, FL 32302.