John Frederic Heitsch, MSgt., USAF (Retired)
July 27, 1934 – August 17, 2002

Heitsch, John F., 68, of Tarpon Springs, died Saturday (Aug. 17, 2002) at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, Tarpon Springs. He was born in Fairbault, Minn., and came here in 1992 from Kansas City, Mo. 

He retired after 20 years in the Air Force in which he was a Master Sergeant in pararescue recovery; he was the first rescue diver to reach astronaut Scott Carpenter and the Aurora 7 capsule splashdown.

Survivors include his wife, Carla; three sons, Timothy, Elizabeth City, NC., Jefrey, Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Thomas, Rapid City, SD.; two sisters, Caroline Morey, St. Petersburg, and Joan Ellestad, Dunedin; and seven grandchildren.

North/Meadowlawn Funeral Home & Cemetery, New Port Richey.