The Funeral Service for Donald R. Heinitz, age 72 of Morristown, will be held at 10:30am Friday, April 3, 2015 at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown. Pastor Gerhardt Juergens will officiate with burial in the Hillside Cemetery at Morristown.
Visitation will be held on Thursday from 1:00 to 7:00pm, with a gathering time for family and friends at 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Don's 7 grandchildren. Active casketbearers are Jerry, Wayne, and Kenneth Kling, Jeff Maier, Dennis Maier, John Bubbers, Clay Pederson, and Jeff Mistelski.

DONALD R. HEINITZ was born on September 30, 1942 in Sioux County, North Dakota to Jacob and Hulda (Uttke) Heinitz. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith. Don grew up on a farm 4 miles north of Morristown and attended the Jakes school for 6 years, then attended the Christ Lutheran Church School for 7th and 8th grade. Don graduated from Lemmon High School in 1960. He farmed and ranched with his parents and later on after the death of his father, his mother purchased the Dahlen place near Morristown, where he continued to farm and ranch with his mother.

On February 21, 1976 at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown, Don was united in marriage to Diana Hoffman Campbell and blessed with daughter Shawn. Don and Diana were blessed with two more daughters, Angie and Donell. They later purchased the ranch from his mother and continued farming and ranching. He bought his first Gelbvieh bulls in 1979 and from then on raised Red Gelbvieh cattle. He was very proud of his heard of red Gelbvieh cattle. In 1998 his daughter and son in law, Donell and Clay Pederson began working with him on the ranch.

Don was a 12 year member of the Cedar Soil Conservation District, the Morristown Fire Department where he served as chief for over 10 years. He was on the church council and held numerous offices. Don also served as a board member for 17 years on the Cedar River Grazing Association. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and auction sales.

After two years of failing health he was diagnosed with MSA (Multiple System Atrophy) in November of 2014. Don passed from this life on Monday evening, March 30, 2015 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger with his family by his side.

Surviving family members include his loving wife of 39 years, Diana; 3 daughters, Shawn (Jeff) Mistelski, Bismarck, ND; Angie Heinitz, Morristown, SD; Donell (Clay) Pederson, Morristown, SD; 7 grandchildren, Hailee and Morgan Lensegrav, Ashlee & Kelcie Kay Mistelski, Colton Schmidt, Landon and Layton Pederson; 1 brother and sister-in-law, Albert and Pat Heinitz, Iowa City, IA; 3 sisters and 2 brothers-in-law, Avis Kling, Lemmon, SD; Alaine and Roger Haugen, Hawley, MN; Doris Bjerke, Tuscon, AZ; Art Leno, Frazee MN and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 sisters, and 3 brothers-in-law, Dorothy Leno, Alice and John Froelich, Ray Kling, and Robert Bjerke.

A memorial has been established at Christ Lutheran Church. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com