Frank W. Heimgartner

8/15/1929 — 9/10/2023

Service Date: 10/14/2023
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Aug. 15, 1929 — Sept. 10, 2023

Frank Heimgartner, 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Lewiston. Born Aug. 15, 1929, in Juliaetta, he was the son of William and Lona Heimgartner.

Frank attended the first eight years of school in the Fix Ridge one-room schoolhouse just down the road from the house he grew up in. He could remember riding his horse to school and keeping him in the corral until school was over and he could ride home. After eighth grade he moved on to Genesee High School where he graduated in 1947.

Frank proudly served his country as a member of the Idaho National Guard, joining in 1948.

Frank worked in the Potlatch Mill in Lewiston in the 1950s and then decided that farming the homestead was where he needed to be. He ran the farm until his retirement in the early 2000s. He loved farming the ground he had grown up on and, if the truth be told, retirement wasn’t for him. He also worked part-time for the Latah County Road District.

Frank married the love of his life, Pamela Grimm, on Nov. 7, 1950. They were married for 67 years until Pamela’s death in November of 2017. Frank and Pam raised a family on the farm that included four children: Frankie, Gary, Cindy and Tina.

In his younger days Frank had a passion for hunting and fishing. Many priceless movies and photos were made of his extensive pack trips into the wilderness with close friends. When the kids were young, they remember family trips consisted of camping and fishing trips up to the mountains that included a lot of rock hunting. Frank was an avid rock collector and had a complete set up for polishing rocks and created some beautiful jewelry for family and friends.

He leaves behind a loving family, including a son, Gary (Ardella) Heimgartner of Lewiston, Cindy (Dave) Crandall of Grangeville, and Tina Price of Coeur d’Alene. Also, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and a sister Lona Wilson, of Lewiston.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pamela, a son, Frankie, parents and three sisters.

Frank was a kind, funny and loving individual who seemed to always have a smile on his face. He will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

A celebration of Frank’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Fix Ridge Cemetery near Juliaetta. Friends and family are invited to attend and share in the memories.