Pete Heinrich passed away on the 14th of March, 2018 at the age of 87.  He was born in Waldenborg, Germany in 1930 as Heinrich Peter Karl Cordes.  His mother Helen later remarried to Olaf Heinrich and his surname changed as a result.  Helen and Olaf Heinrich immigrated to the United States when Pete was a young boy and the family settled in the American West living in New Mexico, California, and Nevada.

Pete always enjoyed hard work and actually moved out of his parents’ home as a teenager to build fence and cowboy for local ranches.  He was naturalized as a US Citizen in 1955 and changed his name to Pete Carl Heinrich.

Pete’s college years were spent at UC Davis, but he left before graduating to join the US Navy where he served in the Pacific on the USS Curtis and the USS Orca.  He loved traveling to foreign ports like Hong Kong and the Philippines. Pete became an atomic veteran when he witnessed two above ground nuclear explosions in the Marshall Islands on Enewetak and Bikini Atolls.  These events would contribute to his health challenges late in life as his radiation exposure was substantial.

When he returned to the US he ran his father’s feedlot in Fallon, NV and got to know Shirley (Bybee) who he would eventually marry on October 2 of 1968.  

After leaving the feedlot he joined the trades and trained to be a lineman to work for Sierra Power and Light in Truckee, CA.  He would work the rest of his career in the utility industry earning his 60 year pin from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and retiring from Missouri Public Service where he rose to manage the local electrical and gas service in Sedalia, MO.  He loved working to repair the grid after power outages even when that meant climbing power poles during lightning, thunder and ice storms.

Pete put his electrical training to use for his community too, as he volunteered throughout his life hanging Christmas lights, changing lights at the local baseball diamond and teaching electricity classes at the local 4-H club.  This was particularly true in the years when he called Cole Camp, Missouri home.

He will be deeply missed by his family.  He was a great provider, fierce advocate for his kids and always encouraged reading and curiosity among the entire family.

Pete is survived by his wife Shirley, daughters Patt and Tish, and son Martin, as well as his brother Rolf Heinrich and sister Harriet Heinrich-Warren.  He was preceded in death by his brother Ernie.