John F. Heimlich, age 82, of Mount Gilead and formerly of the Sandusky and Huron area, died unexpectedly Wednesday morning, June 30, 2010 at the Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.
He was born on July 27, 1927, in Edison, the son of the late Harley F. Heimlich and Aetoulia J. (Lowther) Gardner.
John was a graduate of Mount Gilead high school in the class of 1945 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps right after graduation. After a year of proudly serving his country he was honorably discharged and moved back to Ohio.
He worked various odd jobs, including running the Marathon Station in Mount Gilead, before moving to Huron where he became employed with General Motors. He worked there for 30 years until retirement in 1982.
A man of great faith, he was a member of the Mount Gilead Baptist Church.
John was very active, and it was once said, “He could fiddle all day and enjoy it”. He loved life and it showed in his attitude towards others and the way he treated them. John will be remembered as a genuinely nice guy without an enemy in the world.
He held membership at the Eagles, the American Legion, and the Amvets, all in the Sandusky area.
He will be missed by his daughters Vickie L. Simmerlein and her husband Stephen of Mount Gilead and Carolyn Sue Hilliker and her husband Daniel of Bay Minette, Alabama; his other children Judith Walborn of Sandusky, Norma Chambers and her husband Mark of Huron, Deborah Faulkner and her husband Frank of Sandusky, and Catherine Faye of New Hampshire; step-sons David Reed of Oriental, North Carolina, William Reed and his wife Wilma of Mount Gilead, and John Reed and his wife Marsha of Oriental, North Carolina; and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wives, Ima L. Gee Heimlich in 1986 and Betty M. Reed Heimlich in 2008; son Richard Jones; and his sister Margaret Dean.
Friends may call on the family on Friday July 2, 2010, from 4-7 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Homes, Craven Chapel, 67 North Main Street, Mount Gilead. Funeral services will be held there on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. with Pastors Lawrence Combs and John Erkfitz officiating. Private family burial will take place on Tuesday at Meadow Green Memorial Park in Huron.
Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Those wishing to express their condolences to John’s family may do so by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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