Jim Herzog of Owatonna, MN, died peacefully in his home on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, surrounded by his family. A visitation will be held at the Brick-Meger Funeral Home from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, October 5th and one hour prior to the 10:30 a.m. Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Owatonna on Friday, October 6th. A Knights of Columbus Rosary will be recited Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jim grew up near the small village of St. Rosa, MN, and attended a two-room schoolhouse for eight years before graduating from Melrose High School in 1962. A few years ago, he wrote a book about his life with memories from age three to seventy-three and named it Fortunate Farm Kid. He was a strong, tough kid who knew how to work hard, and he was always motivated by a quote by Vince Lombardi which said, "Mental Toughness is Essential for Success." He lived by that motto all his life, and when his physical strength diminished, his mental toughness grew even stronger.
Most people remember Jim as "Principal", but more importantly, he was a man of principle. He worked 50 years in education, not fully retiring until the age of 73. Jim came to Owatonna in 1975 as an Assistant Principal at OHS, added duties as the Athletic Director for six years, and took on the role of Principal at Owatonna High School from 1991-2001. He was selected as "High School State Principal of the Year" in 2001, and following his retirement at OHS that same year, he went on to teach students earning their Principal or Superintendent Licensure at the University of St. Thomas for the next fourteen years.
Jim is survived by his wife Joan, children Chris (Colleen) Herzog, Amy (Todd) Acheson, and Matt (Julie) Herzog. He loved his 10 grandchildren: Anna, Olivia, Thomas, and Emma Herzog; Elizabeth, Grace, William, and Rose Acheson; and Ellen and Marla Herzog. |