Jon E. Heinrich

Jon E. Heinrich, 72, of Grand Island died Monday November 19, 2018 at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday January 12, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church with the Pastor Adam Snoberger officiating. There will be no visitation or burial. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran-Missions or the Gideons.

Jon was born June 7, 1946 in Scottsbluff, NE, the son of John and Hilda (Schlager) Heinrich. He grew up attending schools in western Nebraska and South Dakota, graduating from Buffalo Gap High School, Buffalo Gap, SD. with the class of 1964. In 1968 Jon graduated from Chadron State College, Chadron, NE with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in Social Science and English, also named outstanding graduate in Social Science. From 1968-1999 he taught Social Studies and English at Grand Island Senior High. While teaching, he acquired his Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1991. During the 1987-1988 school year, Jon taught English and American history at Hengyang Teachers’ College, Hengyang, Hunan province, People’s Republic of China. Following his career at Grand Island Senior High, he served as Director of Missions at Trinity Lutheran Church from 1999-2007, going on mission trips to Alaska, Russia, Baltic Countries, Guatemala and Mexico.

During his life, Jon served on many church boards, including: Board of Education, Board of Elders, Board of Stewards, Cross Cultural Ministries, Prison Ministry and served as a Sunday School Teacher. Community boards he served on included: Hope Harbor Homeless Shelter, Citizen Advocacy, Moonshell Arts and Humanities Council, Grand Island Little Theater, and the Grand Island Council for International Visitors. Jon was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Kiwanis, and Gideons.

Those left to cherish his memory include his two sisters and brothers-in-law, Jennifer and Bucky Walker of Casper, WY; Boni and Rick Wass of Douglas, WY.; three nieces, Erin (Bill) Righter Jillian (Jeremy) Dietchman, Brianna Wass; two nephews, Eric Walker and Kyle Wass.

He was preceded in death by his parents.