James A. Herdman, 71, of Oakland, Michigan passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Henry Ford Rochester Hills Hospital in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Born on February 16, 1955, in Portsmouth, Ohio, Jim was the beloved son of the late Eugene and Doris (Collignon) Herdman.
A devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, James lived a life defined by integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. He enjoyed finding a great bargain, listening to a wide variety of music and cooking for family and friends. A proud graduate of The Ohio State University, Jim remained a lifelong Buckeye fan. During his college years, he worked as a chyron operator at Ohio State football games – an experience he always remembered with pride.
Following graduation from college, Jim began his career in retail with Service Merchandise before continuing in front-office management roles with The Home Depot and Lowe’s. He cherished the lifelong friendships he made during his years at Service Merchandise.
In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jim became critically ill and ultimately needed a kidney transplant. After two years of faithfully completing the testing required to remain on six transplant lists across the Midwest, he received the gift of life through a kidney transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in March 2025. He was profoundly grateful for this second chance, especially because it allowed him to witness one of his proudest moments – seeing his daughter, Madeleine, graduate from high school in June 2026.
Jim took great pride in becoming a father later in life. When Madeleine was just a toddler, he taught her the famous “O-H-I-O” chant, beginning a lifetime of Buckeye traditions. On his days off, he delighted in taking her to the movies, the zoo, or whatever she wanted. He also lovingly referred to the daughters of close friends as his own and embraced being a true “girl dad”, always happy to cook whatever they requested.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 26 years, Angela; daughter Madeleine; his sister Nancy Connar (Doug); his mother-in-law, Peggy King; sisters-in-law, Christine Steinhebel and Felecia Zak (Andrew); nieces and nephews, Jonathan Connar (Rebecca), Alison Mausser (Matthew), Giacomo Steinhebel Jr., Danielle Steinhebel, Austin Zak, Charlie Zak; his great nieces, Reagan, Morgan, and Olivia Connar; as well as several cousins.
Visitation for friends and family will be on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with a Recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 PM at Henry M. Malburg Funeral Home, 11280 32 Mile Road, Romeo, Michigan 48065.
A second visitation will be held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Melcher-Hammer Funeral Home, 1417 Offnere St., Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM Friday, July 31, 2026, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Portsmouth, Ohio with Father Stephen Smith officiating. Burial will follow at McKendree Cemetery, Stout, Ohio.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Jim’s memory to Cleveland Clinic Giving Portal at https://my.clevelandclinic.org/giving
