Heino Bruno Mueller

Heino Bruno Amandus Mueller passed away on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, of natural causes. He was 95.

Heino was the third of four children born to Katharina Kossin and Wilhelm Mueller in the Free State of Danzig, Langfuhr, West Prussia on June 19, 1922. He married his beloved wife of over 73 years, Irmgard Ruth Gottschalk, on March 1, 1944, in Breslau, Silesia, Germany.

As a teenager, Heino learned the electrical trade and very quickly became a master electrician. He was employed by a ship builder in Danzig, worked on many U-boats, and made repairs to the battleship Bismarck. To his dismay, he was drafted and served as a radio man on the Western Front in Germany's last major World War II offensive--the Battle of the Bulge. For saving several wounded members of his group after being shelled one night, Heino was decorated with the Iron Cross. He was then transferred to the Eastern Front and eventually surrendered to the British when the war in Europe concluded in May 1945.

Two years after the war, Heino was released from a prisoner-of-war camp in southern Italy and returned to his wife and family, who were refugees residing in West Germany. He and many other LDS East German refugees founded an LDS housing settlement in Langen, Germany. In 1953, Heino, his wife, and their two children immigrated to Salt Lake City along with almost the entire LDS branch of Langen. It took Heino one day to acquire a job, whereafter, he was continually and gainfully employed until he officially retired at age 65, but persisted to work until he was 79.

He was an active member of the LDS church and served in many callings, including Branch President, Freiberg Germany temple missionary, High Priest Group Leader, and Sunday School President. However, his favorite calling was being in the Nursery, where he loved caring for the children and eating graham crackers. Heino also enjoyed classical music, philosophy, playing chess, and assisting his family in many and sundry ways, but especially by being an example of living a joyful and disciplined life.

Heino is survived by his wife Irmgard, two sons-Reinhard (Alice) and Matthias (Susan), seven grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and brother Richard Mueller. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Wilma Voge Taylor, and brother Rudi Mueller.

The family expresses its sincerest gratitude and appreciation to Heino's care givers over the past years: the members of the East Millcreek 9th Ward, St. Marks' doctors and nurses, and Sunrise Senior Living. A special thanks to Ann Bezdjian and Lee Johnson for their overwhelming loving support and assistance.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 8, 2017, at 11:00 AM at the East Millcreek 9th Ward, 3750 South Hillside Lane (2600 East) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, September 7, 2017, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary 3401 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City, Utah and at the East Millcreek 9th Ward Friday morning from 10:00 to 10:45 AM prior to the service. Interment will be at the Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at www.wasatchlawn.com.