Richard Werner Heiwinkel

Richard Werner Heiwinkel age 51 completed his angelic mission and returned to our Lord on Thursday, May 15 2008. Richard won a silver medal in the Special Olympics for bowling. He was a 1987 graduate of NEISD Special Education Program. Richard enjoyed the arts, coloring comic book heroes and drawing whenever the urge moved him to be creative. He was a superhero aficionado with the ability to correct you if you misnamed or misquoted any of the modern superheroes. Although the world saw him as handicapped, his disability gave him the opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest without care or worry. When you met Richard you always received a big hug and a wonderful smile that would light up a room. Our Lord Jesus tells us in the book of Mark that these are the greatest commandments "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This is love in action and I believe that Richard had mastered this in his ability to love unconditionally and never harbor malice against anyone. We can all learn from Richard to love a little deeper, smile a little bigger and hug a little tighter. How does the song go?... "what a wonderful world this would be." If we all followed Richards example. We will all truly miss his infectious smile and tight, long hugs, but we have to remember Richard's own words when he would tell us "I be fine". The world has truly lost a Super Hero! We love you Richard, and can't wait to see you again in heaven!