Innocent H. Heinen of Watkins died on Sunday, May 25, 2003 at the Hilltop Care Center in Watkins. He was 80 years old. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Watkins, with interment in the parish cemetery. Friends visited from 4-9 p.m. on Tuesday and from 8 a.m. until time of the service on Wednesday at the Ertl Funeral Home. Watkins Senior Citizens prayed the rosary at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by parish prayers at 6:30 p.m. Innocent Heinen was born on Oct. 16, 1922, to Bernard and Mary (Loecken) Heinen of Lake Henry. He married Florence Mareck on Oct. 8, 1946, at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Elrosa. They farmed in Lake Henry prior to moving to Watkins. He was employed at Cold Spring Granite for 17 years. He was also employed by A.M. Maus and Son, Shop Master, Twin City Monorail and Green Giant. During his retirement, Innocent did snow plowing and garden tilling. He was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church and served as head usher for many years. He was also a member of the Watkins Senior Citizens and a former member of the Watkins Sportsmen’s Club, serving as president in 1966. He volunteered his time with a number of organizations including the food shelf, Meals on Wheels, veterans’ organizations, Hilltop Care Center and project IMPACT as a youth gardening mentor. In 2000 he was awarded the Meeker County Volunteer of the year award. Innocent was preceded in death by his parents, infant son Charles, sister Lillian Schmitz, two infant sisters and one infant brother. He is survived by his wife Florence; children Rosie Bjerke of Camp Douglas, Wis., Laura (and Ken) Schlangen of Watkins, Geri (and Rick) Peterson of Mora, Evy (and Joan) Heinen of Fair Haven, Eldred (and Jodi) Heinen of St. Michael, Ervin (and Lisa) Heinen of Watkins, Bonnie (and Daryl) Wendroth of Eden Valley, Ed Heinen of Minneapolis, and Bernie Heinen of Watkins; 27 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren; sisters Lorraine (and Jerome) Olmscheid of Lake Henry, and Viola (and Leo) Olmscheid of New Munich.
