Anthony Gerald Heim

The heartbeat of wherever he was, Anthony G. "Jerry" Heim was so much fun to know and love. Although he was a hardworking farmer, he was also the eternal jokester and a straight shooter who wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade. Jerry was a loving husband and devoted father who did whatever was needed for his family that grew to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved serving within his community, and it has been said that Jerry loved gossip more than most women. He was a stranger to none and a friend to all who was the sort of person whom everyone seemed to know. Jerry loved traveling, his morning coffee at the Elba House, and being outdoors, but there was nothing he cherished more than being with his family. He will be deeply missed. The 1930s were predominantly defined by the Great Depression when jobs were scarce and the unemployment rate soared to over 25 percent. Things only went from bad to worse when a drought covered our nation's heartland for nearly two years. It was in 1937 that a young couple from Winona, Minnesota, was blessed with the birth of the baby boy they named Anthony Gerald, and he was raised in the family home alongside his younger brother, William. His father, Anthony Heim Sr., was a farmer while his mother, Ruth (Gainey) Heim, was a homemaker. Sadly, Jerry's mother died when he was only eight years old. Jerry's father then had housekeepers who were often the victim of the practical jokes that he and his brother loved to pull including the time they pushed one of them into a tank of water. Interestingly, they didn't usually keep a housekeeper for very long. From his earliest years Jerry was a bustle of activity. He was involved with the FFA and 4-H showing sheep and cattle. His family had a black race horse which started his love for horses. He loved the trips he won to the Minnesota State Fair. Jerry usually had a collie around throughout his entire life, most of which were named Tippy or Rover. He attended local schools and excelled in football as he was even named all-conference in 1956. Jerry's earliest years found him at Dublin Country School, and he later went on to St. Charles Public School. Shortly after graduating from high school in 1956, Jerry joined the Army Reserves with a few of his high school buddies. His time in the military spanned from March of 1957 through November of 1962, and his buddies from the military were lifelong friends. During his service he continued farming with his father who retired in 1979. Jerry took over, but in 1983 a devastating barn fire took his dairy herd. He then continued with crop farming until he retired and moved to town. In addition, Jerry worked at Hubbard Food in Altura, North Star Foods in St. Charles, and also at Lakeside Packing in Plainview. Not to be forgotten during Jerry's younger years was his introduction to Joyce Wondrow whom he married on September 6, 1958 in Rochester. Together they welcomed six children including Sandra, Susan, Stacy, Michael, and Patrick into their hearts and home. They welcomed Carol during her early years who became part of the family. As a father Jerry was never overly affectionate, yet he was always around the family home. Jerry's children called him Jerry for most of his life as they only recently started calling him Dad. Although his marriage later ended in divorce, he was grateful for the children they shared. When his family grew to include grandchildren, Jerry was thrilled, and he loved being a part of their lives. He was known to give them his credit card to get candy, and of course they came back with bags that were full. He wanted them to share in his appreciation of hunting and looked forward the yearly deer hunting with his children and grandchildren.A new chapter in Jerry's life began when he met Darline Freeman on March 23, 1989, at a dance. She couldn't resist Jerry's blue eyes. They were married on October 17, 1992, between picking corn and deer season. There was an unforgettable celebration that followed complete with a pig roast and drinks. Traveling was something that Jerry enjoyed but did seldom. When he and Joyce were in Hawaii, he was out playing golf and was hit in the head by a golf ball, which completely knocked him out. As a family they always went to the Minnesota State Fair where Jerry first proceeded directly to machinery hill. Later on he enjoyed day trips with Darlene as they regularly went to Nelson, Wisconsin, for the day and the most incredible ice cream. Jerry also enjoyed the spring horse sale in Lanesboro and the Amish auctions. In his last years, he enjoyed riding his scooter in town to the Resource Center and County Fair to partake in the local happenings.Throughout his life Jerry was deeply supportive of his community. He served as Winona County Commissioner in the 3rd District for three terms, ending in 2008. He truly loved campaigning, especially when Darlene was with him. Jerry made it appoint to go to every farm early in the campaign, and when it was close to the election he and Darlene went door-to-door. While in office he loved hearing and resolving conflicts. He loved participating in various committees as well as local, state and national meetings and conventions. He always wanted to make his voice heard for the things the truly supported. He was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Elba as well as a member of the St. Charles Moose, and former member of the Altura Lions. Jerry was inducted into the Winona County Fair Hall of Fame in 2010. Jerry wasn't a very good driver, not only because he ran out of gas a lot, but also because he didn't always look when he was driving. On one such occasion he backed up and ran over his grandkids' inflatable pool in the yard. Thankfully they saw him coming and jumped out, but there was water everywhere! Jerry was also quite a character in other ways as he liked to play jokes on the kids in the pew ahead of him at church by taking out his dentures. He was known for his "unethical hunting" habits, otherwise known as road hunting, and he also casually swore quite often. Social, hardworking, and meticulous, Anthony G. "Jerry" Heim was a blessing in the lives of those around him. He experienced so many of the best things that life has to offer, but nothing was better than having his loved ones close. Jerry will be forever missed. Anthony Gerald "Jerry" Heim, of St. Charles, died on Saturday, December 20, 2014. Jerry's family includes his wife, Darline; six children, Carol (David) Anderson of Lyle, Sandra (Philip) Schwantz of Altura, Susan Thompson of St. Charles, Stacy Heim of St. Charles, Michael (Lori) Heim of St. Charles, and Patrick (Wendy) Heim of St. Charles; 13 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; one brother, William P. (Julie) Heim of Rochester; 5 step-children; and 9 step-grandchildren. Jerry was preceded in death by his father, Anthony G. Heim, Sr.; mother, Ruth (Gainey); step-mother, Loretta (Heaser); and son-in-law, Raymond Thompson. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m., Friday, December 26, 2014 at Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service in St. Charles. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m., Saturday, December 27, 2014 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Elba with visitation one hour prior. Reverend Kurt Farrell will officiate. Burial will follow at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Elba. Pallbearers will be Allan Anderson, Matthew Heim, Tyler Heim, Bryce Heim, Justin Thompson, Lane Heim and Brett Anderson. Honorary Pallbearers: Brittany Glenn, Lindsay Schwantz, Samantha Knight, Taylor Heim, Amber Thompson and Shelby Heim. The family prefers memorials to Winona County Fair Board Association and SE MN Resource Center in St. Charles. Please share a memory of Jerry with his family, view his video tribute, and read his complete life story at www.hofffuneral.com.
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/551697