Melvin O. Heinze

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the Runge Mortuary Chapel, Davenport. Visitation will be Monday, July 15 from 5-7 p.m. at the Mortuary. Memorials may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Online condolences may be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com.

Melvin Otto Heinze was born on December 19, 1931 on a farm near Wilton, Iowa, in Cedar County. He was the son of Otto and Norma (Schaefer) Heinze. As a young boy he enjoyed living with his grandparents on their farm near Blue Grass, later moving to Davenport. He served in the Army during the Korean War with the 92nd field artillery in occupied Germany from 1952 until 1954.

On September 3, 1956, Melvin married Janice Gottslick and made their home in Blue Grass. She died in 1984. He later married Dorothy Heinze and moved to Davenport in February, 1994. He worked at Ralston Purina for 43 years, from January 2, 1948 until his retirement on April 1, 1991. He then drove cars for National Car Rental from 1997 until 2009.

In his earlier years, Mel enjoyed riding horses, restoring old cars, and watching Western movies. He painted pictures from watching Bob Ross on the TV series, “The Joy of Painting”.

Melvin is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two step-children, Denise (Terry) Newell, MI and Debra McGinty, CO; four step-granddaughters, Shelby (Jonathon) Grott, Chicago, Madeline Blalock, TX, Lauren (Tyler) Shimp, CO, and Natalie Newell, MI; four step-great-grandsons, Caleb, Gavin and Nathan Groot, Chicago, and Riley Shimp, CO; step-great-granddaughter, Reagon Shimp, CO; sister-in-law, Elinor Hollenbeck, Moline; nephews Scott and Randy Hollenbeck, and niece, Beth Yarbrough.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Orville Heinze, and step-son, David Heinze.