Obituary of Franz Josef Heinrichs

Franz Josef Heinrichs (1929 - 2011) Apalachin: Franz Josef (Joe) Heinrichs, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully on November 29, 2011 after a brief illness. Joe was born on July 1, 1929 in Monchen-Gladbach, Germany. He was predeceased by his parents, Ernest and Antone Heinrichs, his sisters Mollie Jensen and Anna Losberger, and a younger brother Anthony. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Irmgard Heinrichs; and his five children, Linda and Scott Campbell of Campville, NY., Ernest and Jane Heinrichs of Chevy Chase, MD. and Park City,UT., Franz Heinrichs of Garmisch, Germany, Lisa and Dan Boylan of Big Flats NY, and Karl Heinrichs of Apalachin, NY. Joe is also survived by his grand children, Dr. Nicholas and Jacob Boylan, Matthew and Jonathon Campbell, and Jonah, Noah and Ella Heinrichs; great granddaughter Alivia Boylan-Coburn; niece Jenny Maxien, and great nephew Klaus Maxien. They were the loves of his life. Joe grew up in Monchen -Gladbach in the Rhineland of northern Germany near the Dutch border. He graduated from the School for Industry and Trades in 1947. He was employed as a tool and die maker as a young man in Germany. He emigrated to the United States and settled in Detroit Michigan in 1953. Joe was drafted into the United States Army and was honorably discharged as a PFC 3rd Class with the Fifth Armored Division out of Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. During service in the Korean War, Joe was stationed in Fontainebleau, France servicing and repairing medical and dental instruments. He met his future bride, Irmgard Seidl, while on a double date with her younger sister, Mary Seidl in Detroit. They fell in love on their first dance that evening. They were married July 12, 1958. While in Detroit, Joe worked full time as a tool and die maker for the automotive industry while Irma was employed as a domestic and cook for the family of Henry Ford II. Joe attended Wayne State University in the evenings, and graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering in June of 1963. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with IBM in Endicott, NY and moved with his young family to Apalachin, NY which is now the family compound. Joe worked for IBM in Endicott, NY on printer development for 27 years before retiring in 1991, with several printer design innovations to his credit. Not one to sit still for very long, Joe then occupied himself with substitute teaching in the Owego-Apalachin School District. He substituted at various schools throughout Tioga County,Owego-Apalachin, Candor, Newark Valley, Tioga Center, and within the Johnson City school system in Broome County. He was beloved by his students who were charmed by his stories of his youth in war torn Germany. Joe will be remembered for his warm sense of humor and his congenial, outgoing nature. Joe was a lover of animals and loved time spent caretaking his childrens' dogs. Joe loved the ocean and the mountains. Every summer he took his family camping at various beaches on the east coast, and numerous trips to visit family in Germany. Joe enjoyed sailing and spent many summer days with his children on his Sunfish at Dorchester Park in Whitney Point, NY and passed his love of the water on to his children. He enjoyed attending the various sporting endeavors engaged in by his children during their formative years in school and particularly enjoyed carting his brood around in the winter for skiing. His later years he enjoyed tinkering with his VW Cabriolet and enjoyed driving around with the top down in the summer. Joe loved being in the company of other people and enjoyed talking to everyone he met. Joe was an active member of Germania Mannerchor, the German-American Club in Binghamton NY singing in the Men's choir. He loved the music and culture of his homeland and the music could often be heard reverberating off the walls of his home. He loved to dance and the polka was his favorite and enjoyed attending Irma's singing engagements with the German Club band. His various hobbies included woodworking and carpentry, playing the accordion and harmonica, sailing and photography. Joe enjoyed photography and was never without a camera on family outings. He enjoyed collecting cameras, watches, clocks and coins. Memorial Services will be held on Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Margaret Mary's church on Pennsylvania Avenue in Apalachin, NY. The family will receive friends on Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the church with Mass at 11:00 a.m. followed by luncheon in the Church Hall. The entire Heinrichs family would like to extend their sincerest thanks and appreciations to the loving and caring staff of UHS/Ideal Nursing Facililty, 1st Floor - Rose Court for making this his home away from home. Special thanks to Wade and Kelly whom Joe was especially fond of. Joe taught Wade many German words some of which cannot be repeated here!In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Joe's memory to the German-American Club, 218 Loughlin Road, Binghamton, NY, 13904. Arrangements are with the Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home, Apalachin.