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FAIRFIELD – Jefferson County Health Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning, Oct. 29, to unveil a new Little Free Pantry built in memory of pediatrician Dr. Jay Heitsman.

The pantry is located just south of the health center’s Dialysis Center, and north of its main building on South Highway 1. According to a news release from JCHC, the pantry was made possible through a generous donation from the Heitsman family in memory of Dr. Heitsman, “a beloved pediatrician at JCHC who was known for his gentle smile, compassionate care, and dedication to children.”

Jefferson County Health Center CEO Bryan Hunger said in a news release that the health center was “incredibly honored to continue Dr. Heitsman’s legacy of caring for the community through the addition of this Little Food Pantry.”

“This pantry will be a vital resource for individuals and families facing food insecurity, and it embodies the spirit of service that Dr. Heitsman was known for,” Hunger said.

JCHC Marketing and Community Relations Manager Amy Vetter said some of the food in the pantry came from the annual food drive the health center’s Community Team puts on, and some food was purchased through the Memorial Fund. She said the health center is looking into ways to ensure it stays stocked with non-perishable goods. Vetter noted that this newest pantry is No. 16 on the list of Little Free Pantries located in Fairfield, Libertyville and Lockridge.

The pantry was designed and built by JCHC maintenance staff member Denis Walker, who attended Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony along with representatives of the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, the JCHC Foundation and members of the Heitsman family.

Heitsman died in 2018 at the age of 64, survived by his wife Phyllis, three children and six grandchildren. He worked as a pediatrician at JCHC from 2011 until the time of his death, and before that operated a private practice in Ottumwa.

Jesse Heitsman, one of his two sons, said dedicating a food pantry to his father was fitting because he believed strongly in treating others with dignity when they needed help.

“’Give what you can and take what you need’ is a perfect metaphor for how he interacted with people,” Jesse said.

Jesse said his father instilled in him the values of hard work and never feeling above any task or above anyone. Jodie Eidahl, Heitsman’s daughter, said her father was always looking out for those who needed a smile. He made himself more approachable to children by wearing plain clothes instead of typical doctor attire.

“He never wanted kids to be scared, so he wore Disney sweatshirts,” Jodie said.

“I still have a pair of purple scrubs with dinosaurs,” added Jesse. “Those were always a winner.”

Jesse said that when he had to get vaccines as a little boy, his father would put on “The Lion King” to distract him while he got the shots.

“He knew his clientele,” Jesse said.

Heitsman’s son Josh Heitsman said people might not have known that his father was interested in woodworking, and in cutting down nuisance trees that he learned about through his patients.

“He liked to use wood for various projects, so this would have been something I could have seen him put together,” Josh said of the pantry.

Trea Eidahl, one of his grandchildren, is a junior in high school and already has her CNA. She said her grandfather, who she calls “Papa Jay,” was an inspiration to her. She said that seeing the impact he had on kids has made her want to go into nursing.

“He always gave out stickers and made the kids feel so welcome,” Trea said. “I think that’s really cool, and I want to do that.”