Diamond, James (Scotty)
Flint Journal
James “Scotty” Diamond
DIAMOND, James “Scotty”---Age 91, died Tuesday, June 23, 1987, at Kith Haven.
Funeral services will be held 12 Noon Saturday at the Sunset Chapel of the
Reigle Funeral Home, Dr. Lawrence Kent officiating. Burial in Flint Memorial
Park. Friends may call at the chapel from 7-9 PM this evening and 7-9 PM
Friday. Mr. Diamond was born in Barrhead, Scotland, April 18, 1896. He was a
graduate of the Glasgow Technical College as an Engineer. Mr. Diamond married
Margaret O. Johnstone in 1919; she preceded him in death in 1944. During World
War I, from 1914-1918 he was a Sergeant-Major in the famed Scottish Black
Watch Regiment. He was wounded twice and decorated three times. During World
War II, he worked with officials at General Motors Institute in setting up the
first training course in Industrial Hydraulics ever offered in the country.
In 1950 he married Ruth B. Heckendorf in Flint. Mi. Diamond retired in 1958
from Buick Motor Division as Assistant General Superintendent and had resided
in Long Beach, California until November, 1986. He was a life member of the
Genesee Masonic Lodge #174 F&AM, the Long Beach Masonic Club and the Old News
Boys of Flint. He has been a member of the First United Presbyterian Church
and was also a past member of Clan Mackenzie, the Flint Industrial Club and
the Flint Chamber of Commerce. Surviving are: wife, Ruth; daughter, Helen E.
Bingel and husband James R. Bingel of Flint; step-son, Howard Al Heckendorf
and wife Georgeann of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 6 grand children; 8 great
grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Mr. Diamond was preceded in Death
his children Mary W. Steffen in 1971 and James O. Diamond in 1986.
Reigle Funeral Home
Sunset Chapel
4305 Clio Road
Submitted by: Kelly Wernette, April 2012
Ex-Superintendent for Buick dies at 91
The Flint Journal.
James Diamond, former superintendent of Buick’s Dynaflow transmission
plant and a division employee for 35 years, is dead at 91.
He died Tuesday at Kith Haven. Services will be at noon Saturday at Kith
Haven. Burial will be in Flint Memorial Park.
Diamond was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and studied at Glasgow Technical
College until 1914. He came to the United States in 1923, after spending
three years in Canada.
Flint was the first American city in which he lived. He began work
immediately at Buick on machine repair.
By 1951, Diamond was superintendent of tank transmission production. In
1953 he was transferred to Willow Springs, Ill., as superintendent of a J-65
jet engine plant and was named plant manager in 1954.
In 1956, Diamond was named superintendent of Buicks Dynaflow transmission
Plant, a job he held until his retirement in 1953.
During World War l, Diamond was sergeant-major in the Scottish Black watch
Regiment. He was wounded twice and decorated three times.
In 1950, he married Ruth B. Heckendorf of Valparaiso, Ind.
After his retirement, Diamond moved to Long Beach, Calif., where he lived
until November 1986. He was a member of Genesee Lodge of F&AM, Clan
MacKenzie, Flint Industrial Executives Club and Flint Area Chamber of Commerce.
Diamond leaves his wife, Ruth of Flint; daughter, Helen Bingel of Flint;
stepson, Howard Heckendorf of Milwaukee; six grand children; and eight great-
grandchildren. Two children preceded him in death.
Submitted by: Kelly Wernette, April 2012