Kenneth Edward Heiman
With great sorrow the Heiman family shares the passing of our beloved husband and father, Kenneth Edward Heiman. Ken was born in winter of 1946 and died on April 17, 2024, with his family at his side.
Born to Raymond and Gladys Heiman in West Allis, Wisconsin, Ken grew up with his two brothers in the Milwaukee suburbs. Following the example set by his father, Ken was always curious, tinkering in the basement and exploring the neighborhood. Ken spent many summers with extended family on his uncle and aunt's farm up north in Thorp, Wisconsin. His misadventures, including getting stuck in a chicken coop and cow milking stall, served as a basis for his epic stories of "life on the farm" for his future grandchildren. During his youth, Ken developed a love of the outdoors, hunting, and fishing, that lasted his entire life.
Ken graduated from Pius XI High School and continued his education in computer science. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1967 and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command (SAC) Headquarters near Omaha, Nebraska and Goose Bay SAC Base in Labrador, Canada. While in Omaha, Ken was set up on a blind date with Helga Naikelis, whom he fell in love with at first sight. He would fondly recall how she was sparkling as she answered the door on their first date, being covered in tinsel and ornaments from the family's Christmas tree (which was knocked over by Helga's little sister in her eagerness to answer the door first). Helga and Ken were engaged within the year and married in September 1971 in Wisconsin, where they moved to pursue job opportunities - with Ken working in computer programming and data processing and Helga teaching at Grafton High School.
In 1978, Ken and Helga bought their longtime home and "wildlife haven" in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, where they would spend the next 45 years. Their daughter Heather was born in April of 1980, and the next decades were full of joy - raising their daughter, hosting family gatherings, and building gardens around the house and paths through their back woods. Ken ensured Heather got a well-rounded outdoor education, with her ability to bait a hook and gut a fish, build excellent forts, and shoot a bow and arrow all attributable to him. Later, after grandchildren arrived, "Grampy" Ken was a beloved playmate, crafting a T-ball stand for the backyard and taking the kids on long walks through the woods.
Ken thoroughly enjoyed adventures outside Wisconsin as well, from trips to the Western U.S. and Germany with Helga to raucous camping reunions in Iowa with extended family. After his retirement from being a government compliance officer in the banking sector in the mid 2000's, Ken and Helga travelled extensively, with trips to Croatia, Scotland, Turkey and Argentina amongst their favorite excursions. After Heather and her husband Piotr moved to Washington, D.C. and later Baltimore, Maryland, Ken and Helga explored the Smokey Mountains, Acadia National Park, and other natural wonders during frequent trips out East.
In 2022, with Ken grappling with increasingly complicated health issues and wanting to be near their children and grandchildren, Ken and Helga moved just outside Baltimore to a new "wildlife haven" with deer and a family of foxes frequenting their backyard. Ken's last years were spent close with his loving family, with weekly dinner parties, nature walks, and movie nights.
Ken is survived by his wife of 53 years, Helga, and his daughter Heather, son-in-law Piotr, and grandchildren Lukasz and Lola; his brothers Wes and Jerry, and numerous cousins, in-laws, nieces, and nephews.
Ken's family will forever be grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by hospice nurses and aids that eased his passing in his home.
A Celebration of Life will be held honoring Ken on Sunday, June 2nd at Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, Wisconsin. Please contact Helga or Heather Heiman for more information.
Memorial contributions may be made to Riveredge () or Cylburn Arboretum ().
Please leave memories or send messages to the family on Ken's tribute page located on .