Katherine "Kate" Heinecke

Katherine "Kate” Heinecke was welcomed into Heaven on February 11, 2026.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Friday. Pastor Cheryl Rondeau-Bassett will officiate, and inurnment will be at Union Cemetery in Long Lake, MN.

Katherine Ann (Wasgatt) Heinecke was born on New Year’s Eve in 1943 in Duluth, MN, to David and Jennie (Eisinger) Wasgatt. She brought a spark of joy into the world from the very start.

A graduate of Orono High School, Kate’s life changed forever when she met the love of her life, James Heinecke. After a brief adventure working at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, she returned home to her true north. Kate and Jim were married on September 11, 1964, beginning a beautiful 61-year journey together.

The couple lived in Minneapolis before moving to North Dakota in 1967—making the trek to Devils Lake while Kate was eight months pregnant with their daughter, Amy. They later lived in Upham before finally settling in Ortonville, MN, in 1977, the town they have called home ever since.

Kate’s life was defined by her tireless care for others. While her primary joy was being a homemaker, she also served her community as a waitress, a dispatcher, and a police secretary. Her faith was her North Star; she was an active member of First English Lutheran Church and cherished the fellowship of her Bible study group. Whether she was donning a purple outfit for the Red Hat Ladies or delivering Meals on Wheels alongside Jim, Kate showed up for people.

Above all, Kate was a "light." She never missed a birthday or a milestone, ensuring every loved one felt seen and celebrated. Her greatest pride was her children and grandchildren, and she was a fixture at their many events, cheering the loudest from the sidelines.

She leaves behind a legacy of love and faith in her husband, Jim Heinecke; her daughter, Amy (Jeff) Schmidt; her son, John (Shannon) Heinecke; her sister, Suzanna Johnson; and her brother, Stephen Wasgatt. Her memory lives on in her grandchildren: Lindsey (Tim) Brekken, Ty (Stephanie) Heinecke, Scott (Jasmyn) Heinecke, Braden Heinecke, Jake (Kylie) Schmidt, Noah Schmidt, Katie Schmidt, and Sadie (Johnathan) Jacobson; as well as her great-grandchildren: Ella Heinecke, Nathan Brekken, and Olivia Brekken, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Kate was preceded in death by her parents, David and Jennie Wasgatt; her brothers, David and Tom Wasgatt; her sisters, Betty LeDell, Peg Swaggert, Barbara Roberts, Diane Erickson, and Nancy Kangas; and her daughter-in-law, Rebecca Heinecke.