James (Jim) Bizer passed away on July 6, 2022. He was born May 9, 1931, in Medford, Wisconsin, to Eugene and Angeline (Maier) Bizer. After completing high school, he graduated the University of Wisconsin (Madison) in 1953 with a degree in Pharmacology. He joined the Army that September, commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps. He told his kids that one day, while attending Officer Training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, he saw a helicopter fly overhead. He said “That’s what I want to do!” and immediately an NCO pulled him out of line and he was whisked off to flight school. In his 30-year Army career, Jim flew several different helicopters in South Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and the states. He was an early member of the Army Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) unit in Vietnam and was part of the team convincing the military to adopt a single, non-changing call sign for troops to use when needing wounded evacuated from the battlefield. Soon all MEDEVAC units used the call-sign DUSTOFF – and everyone knew what that call meant. After a 2d tour in Vietnam and earning his Master Aviator Wings, Jim earned a Master of Science d egree in Hospital Administration from Baylor University. His last two Army jobs were Executive Officer of the Ireland Army hospital and Fox Army hospital at Redstone, Alabama. An avid jogger, he earned the Run for Your Life 5,000 mile award while in the Army.
He married Maxine (Garcia) Bizer and they had 3 sons (Michael, Mark, John) and a daughter (Mina). He and Maxine divorced in 1974 and Jim married Karen (Erdmann) Bizer in May of 1977. After retirement he and Karen stayed in Huntsville where Jim was a part-time Pharmacist. They also traveled around parts of the word and drove through every one of the 48 continental states. Karen passed in 2019 and Jim re-located to Florida, near his daughter Mina, where he passed in 2022. He is survived by sons Michael (Sally), Mark (Mary), John (Maureen Barthen), and Melina Brunner (Jon) and his step-children Joni Salmon and Jon Robinson (Karen) as well as 12 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
Jim was laid to rest 29 Feb in Arlington. Great gravesite on hillside below CSA’s house. Old Guard and Chaplain (CPT) Feltz made it a meaningful and reverent service,