Funeral services were Sat., May 6 at the Clearwater United Methodist Church, Clearwater, for Gordon Henry Heinks, age 75 of Clearwater, who died on Monday, May 1 at Quiet Oaks Hospice in St. Augusta. Pastor Ken Felska of Clearwater United Methodist Church officiated. Burial was in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Clearwater, with Military Rites conducted at the cemetery by Clearwater American Legion Post #323. Visitation was Fri., May 5 at the Daniel Funeral Home in Clearwater and prior to services on Saturday at the church.
Gordon was born on June 7,1941 in Maynard, MN the son of Henry and Katie (Randt) Heinks. He grew up in rural Maynard on the family farm and graduated from Maynard High School in 1959. He then enlisted into the U.S. Navy on May 28, 1959. He was united in marriage to Margaret Rethwill on November 18, 1961 in LeSueur, at the Methodist Church. He was honorably discharged on June 6, 1962. Gordon and Margaret then returned to Minnesota, and lived in Mankato where he began his career as an auto mechanic. In 1965, they moved to St. Cloud, where Gordon went to work for Eich Motors as a mechanic. In 1968, Gordon and his family moved to Clearwater. He continued to work for Eich Motors until his retirement in 2000. Clearwater has been his home since that time.
He was a member of the Clearwater United Methodist Church. He loved to fish, hunt, go on camping trips, radio control air planes, and was a trustee and a very active member of his church, helping in numerous ways. Gordy could fix just about anything.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son Gary, and two brothers, John and Harm.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret of Clearwater, three sons, Michael (Jane) of New Brighton, Jeffrey (Dana Johnson) of Clearwater, and James (Nataliya) of St. Cloud, seven grandchildren, Helen, Mary, Henry, Harrison, Avery, Alexander, and Antonia, one sister Ethel (John) Freese of Maynard, two sisters in law, Mildred and Wilma Heinks, nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
