THE VOLGA GERMANS IN PORTLAND
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People > Notables > Jim Kirsch

Jim Kirsch

James Calvin Kirsch was born in Portland on June 29, 1924, the son of Gustav J. Kirsch and Rachel Helser. His mother Rachel is the daughter of Heinrich H. (born 1868) and Katherine Helser (born 1873) and a sibling of Hank, Morrie, and Roy Helser - all standout athletes. 
Jim grew up in N.E. Portland with his two siblings, Don and Walt. He attended Highland Elementary and Jefferson High School, where he was senior class president and a member of the Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) championship football team. Jim was also selected for the PIL All-City team.

After graduation, he attended Yale University on a scholarship prior to enlisting in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant working as a navigator and bombardier. 

After the war, Jim completed his bachelors degree at the University of Oregon where he also played football. 

Post college, Jim worked as a manager in the commercial construction industry for the next 45 years, often overseeing multi-million dollar projects. After retiring from the construction industry at age 70, Jim kept working full-time at A-Boy Plumbing until his death at age 86. 

Jim died on October 14, 2010. 

Sources

Obituary for James Calvin "Jim" Kirsch. Published in The Oregonian on November 28, 2010.
Last updated April 10, 2021.
Copyright © 1998-2023 Steven H. Schreiber
  • Home
    • About This Website
    • Reviews
  • History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Migration to Russia
    • Emigration from Russia
    • Settlement in America
    • Migration to Portland
    • Little Russia
    • A Short History of Albina
    • World War I
    • The Volga Relief Society >
      • Portland Volga Relief Society Subscribers 1921
    • World War II
    • Assimilation and Dispersion
  • Beliefs
    • Churches >
      • Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church
      • First United Mennonite Baptist Church
      • Ebenezer German Congregational Church
      • Free Evangelical Brethren Church >
        • German Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church
      • Second German Baptist Church
      • St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • Second German Congregational Church >
        • Evangelical Congregational Church
      • Zion German Congregational Church >
        • Rivercrest Community Church
    • Pastors
    • The Brethren
    • Denominations >
      • German Reformed Church
      • German Evangelical Synod of North America
      • Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • German Congregational Church
      • Seventh-day Adventists
      • United Church of Christ
  • People
    • Our People
    • Notables
    • Pioneers 1881-1892
    • Stories
    • Photographs
    • Help Identify These People
  • Community
    • Characteristics
    • Businesses >
      • Bakeries Retailers and Services
      • Garbage Haulers
      • Grocery and Meat Markets
      • Restaurants >
        • Helsers on Alberta
        • McCormick & Schmicks
        • Wildwood
      • Saloons and Taverns
      • Suppliers and Manufacturers
    • Employers
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Maps
    • Documentary
  • Traditions
    • Foods
    • Folk Medicine
    • Expressions
    • Weddings
    • Holidays
    • Folk Music
    • Funerals and Burial Sites
  • Resources
    • Family Research
    • Books and Video
    • Works Cited