Several veteran and civic organizations in Austin lost one of their most active members this week.

Former Austin city councilman Norman E. Hecimovich passed away on Sunday, Feb. 18, at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Marys Campus-Rochester at the age of 83.

Hecimovich was born on Dec. 12, 1934, in Evergreen Township, Koochiching County, Minnesota. He attended Bemidji State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in school administration.

Hecimovich served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1994, serving in the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. He started as an enlisted rank before becoming an officer, rising to the rank of major. He returned to an enlisted rank in the Army Reserves, retiring as a command sergeant major, the Army’s highest enlisted rank.

VFW Post 1216 Commander Scott Wiechmann credited Hecimovich’s family members for their support during his time in the military.

“I put in 24 years of service in the military and you don’t serve alone,” he said. “Your family is with you. He couldn’t have done the things that he did without the support of his wife, Helen, and his family. His family was very important to him. He sacrificed a lot for this country and this community.”

Hecimovich was also a teacher, and later a principal, in Austin. As principal, Hecimovich established a reputation for no nonsense.

“I met Norm approximately 40 years ago,” said friend Craig Jurgensen. “My kids were going to the Shaw School and one of them got in trouble, so I had to go visit him and the principal. Norm carried a very strong presence, one of ‘I’m a good guy, but don’t mess with me.’”

After his retirement, Hecimovich was still involved in the Austin Public Schools. As an active member of several veteran organizations, Hecimovich visited Ellis Middle School on a yearly basis to hold an assembly on proper flag etiquette.

“For several years, Norm would go to Ellis Middle School, where they would give him some time for an assembly where he would talk about the presentation of the American flag, the proper disposal and other aspects regarding the flag,” said Mike Ruzek, who got to know Hecimovich while serving as president of the Spruce Up Austin Committee. “That was very well received and he did that for quite a few years.”

“Norm had a big interest and desire to serve the youth of this town and make sure they were aware of what it was to be American and what patriotism meant,” said Weichmann.

Ruzek also worked with Hecimovich, who he said “led by example,” in establishing the “Walk of Remembrance” expansion to the Mower County Veterans Memorial. The project entailed the sale of pavers that honor Mower County veterans.

“That resulted in $250,000 of enhancements to the memorial,” he said. “Norm saw us through that and we had a good group of people, but Norm kept everything together. There were several times where Norm bought a paver for a veteran that couldn’t afford it. As part of the Austin Area Foundation, I handled a lot of the requests, so I know that he made a lot of requests for veterans..”

Hecimovich was the color guard commander for VFW Post 1216, leading funeral honors and frequently speaking at cemeteries for Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies. “Freedom comes at a very high price,” he would frequently tell those in attendance.

Hecimovich also played an integral role in the annual Freedom Fest Parade.

“When I started to get involved (in the Freedom Fest Parade) about 15 years ago, Norm came through and said there was proper order and proper etiquette that needed to be followed,” said friend Jeff Baldus, whose father served in Korea with Hecimovich. “It was an interesting experience to go through that with Norm. He always kept us in the straight and narrow when it came to making sure we had the correct parade line-up.”

As the color guard commander, Hecimovich also led the Fourth of July flag-raising ceremony at Bandshell Park for years as well as serving as grand marshal for the Freedom Fest Parade.

Hecimovich was a member of Fidelity Lodge 39 and was the treasurer for the Shriners at the time of his death.

But Hecimovich was best known for his involvement in veteran organizations.

“He was always an encouragement and had the drive to pass on patriotism and honor for the country,” said Donovan Drake, the adjutant and treasurer for the Disabled American Veterans, a position he inherited from Hecimovich. “He’s the one that initially set up the position for me and I’m just following the example. He was also my trustee and would review all of my paperwork at the end of the year for financials.”

Drake described the DAV meeting, held on the Tuesday after Hecimovich’s death as “somber.”

“If you want an example of how someone should live and how to honor your country and fellow service members, he was the example,” he said.

As a member of the American Legion, VFW, and DAV, Hecimovich was always eager to get younger veterans involved.

“In our organization, the Baby Boomers are fading out and we need the younger generation to step up,” said DAV Commander Ron Hanson. “Norm was always an advocate for getting the younger generation in.”

Hanson has stepped into Hecimovich’s role as color guard commander.

“Norm’s favorite saying was, ‘Failure is not an option,’” he said. “I’m going to do my best to fulfill his obligation as the commander of the color guard.”

“Norm was a guy that everybody should get to know,” said Kirk Olsen, past commander of American Legion Post 61. “He knew how to help people out; he was a great person who helped everybody he could.”

“He has some big shoes to fill as far as the service clubs here in Austin,” he added.

It is a sentiment with which Weichmann agrees.

“Norm was our adjutant for the VFW, which is the person that I look to as commander to make sure we’re following the rules and regulations of the VFW,” he said. “Norm had a mass wealth of knowledge in that area. He was active in so many ways in this community. Every organization I know of will be looking to fill a position.”

Even though he was ill, the veteran organizations were never far from Hecimovich’s mind.

“When Norm was going to the hospital on Saturday (Feb. 17), he made sure he gave his key to the VFW, which he had as the color guard commander, to his wife, Helen, and made sure it was given to the assistant color guard commander,” Weichmann said. “Even as he was gravely ill and going to Rochester, he was concerned about whether the color guard had everything it needed.”

“He’s one of the men I looked up to,” Weichmann said. “When I was an NCO in the service, my job was ‘first boots on, last boots off.’ That was Norm; he was the first one there and the last one to leave.”

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin with the Rev. Michael Olmsted officiating. Friends may call at the Worlein Funeral Home from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, March 2, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.

A Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday at Worlein Funeral Home. Interment with military honors will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Memorials can be directed to the Austin Area Veterans, Westminster Presbyterian Church, or recipient of donor’s choice.