G. Edward "Ed" Heinecke
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Passed away peacefully on March 31, 2020, at the age of 97. His loving wife of 67 years, Priscilla, pre-deceased him in 2015. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Stephen Heinecke and Raeanne Hytone of Washington, DC and Egg Harbor, Wisconsin; his granddaughters Margot Heinecke of Victor, Idaho and Roxanne Heinecke of Denver, Colorado; as well as a nephew and many great-nieces and nephews.
Ed was named for his father, Gustave Edward Heinecke, who died of pneumonia prior to his birth. He attended Washington & Lee University in 1940 and 1941. After being in attendance at President Roosevelt's famous "Day of Infamy" speech in Washington, DC, he enlisted in the US Navy in May, 1942. Later that year he transferred to Northwestern University and graduated in absentia in 1943 while in Midshipman School.
At age 22, Ed was the Executive Officer of a USS LCS 3. His naval career was spent in the Pacific theatre which culminated with being among the first Americans to go to Hiroshima in October 1945, fewer than 60 days after the atomic bombing. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant, USNR and later commanded his own ship in the Philippines before retiring from active duty in 1946.
Ed met Priscilla Bourdon in Boston before he left for the Pacific. They reunited after his discharge and married in December of 1947, settling in Chicago where had Ed returned to Northwestern University to complete his MBA. After graduation in 1948, Ed entered the world of advertising. He was an account manager at agencies in St. Louis before relocating to Milwaukee in 1957 where he served many prominent clients for over 26 years. He retired from agency life and continued his career as a consultant which included a role with a financial company in Singapore that found the Heineckes living abroad.
Semi-retirement gave him the opportunity to expand his community service work and he served on Boards of Directors for Wisconsin Literary Service, Discovery World Science Museum, The Salvation Army, Second Harvest of Wisconsin Food Bank, and Rotary Club of Milwaukee where he served as President in 1979-80.
A highlight of Ed's later retirement was his 2012 trip to Washington, DC as part of the Wisconsin-based Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Program for World War II veterans.
Ed loved tennis, sailing, and cheering for the Packers. He and Priscilla were also huge fans of the arts and enjoyed and supported the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, which he and Priscilla helped to establish, as well as resident theatre companies Skylight Music Theatre and The Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
Ed and Priscilla loved to travel and enjoyed destinations around the world. Perhaps their favorite place was their residence in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, where they spent many happy times with family and friends for over fifty years. They were founding members of Horseshoe Bay Club and loved attending all the show openings at Edgewood Orchard Galleries and the Miller Art Museum. They supported Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Northern Sky Theater, and Peninsula Players Theatre. They also attended many Bjorklunden Seminars and enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing through Peninsula Park. After Priscilla passed away, Ed continued to go to Door County and enjoyed all the same places on his own.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff of Saint John's On The Lake and the thoughtful team from Allay Home & Hospice for all of their warm, compassionate care.
A memorial service will be held on a future date. Memorial contributions in Ed's name may be made to the Miller Art Museum, 107 S. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235. Feerick Funeral Home in Milwaukee, WI is serving the family, (414)962-8383, www.feerickfuneralhome.com