Donald E. Heilman was a wonderful man, who loved life and giving to others. Before, and after his retirement he enjoyed volunteering for all kinds of things around his church, and then his retirement community, Messiah Village where he and his wife Donna, lived for 20 years.
He served as treasurer for many years in his church prior to his current one, the Church of the Brethren in Mechanicsburg, PA. At church he enjoyed greeting, and faithfully visiting and helping people in need. Born in Williamsport, PA in 1932 where he grew up and attended school, he saw many changes in the almost nine decades of his life. He was a beloved son along with his brother Lester Jr. to Dorothy and Lester C. Heilman, Sr.
Married to Donna Heilman for 41 years, he was a faithful and wonderful husband who loved Donna more than anything in this world. Together they lived in NJ, PA, IL, TX and back to PA. They enjoyed many trips abroad including Israel, Tunisia, Italy, Austria and Germany.
Don proudly served in the United States Navy. After graduating from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, he had a long accounting career at American Can Company (Rexam/Ball), where he never took a sick day during his 35 years (nor in all his school years)! Starting in Lemoyne, then moving to the Brooklyn plant, he then spent most of his career in South Brunswick, NJ as the plant controller. Changes in the company took him to San Antonio and Chicago. Upon retiring he wanted to keep working, so he took a position with the Commonwealth of PA, in the treasury department for six years.
He enjoyed gardening, his pet dogs through the years, he played the saxophone, loved the beach, enjoyed model trains, had a great sense of humor, liked the little bird Puffins, greatly enjoyed his time living in San Antonio, was a man of prayer, and had a strong Christian faith. He was a man of great discipline and organization, definitely always had his checkbook balanced, and his life in order. Procrastination was not in his vocabulary. He always had a positive and practical outlook on life, and no matter what came his way, he faced it head on methodically with faith in a good outcome. Both his wife and daughter said they never hear him complain, or say an unkind thing.
Surviving are his beloved wife Donna, his daughter, Kathy, his sister-in-law, Helen, his nieces and nephews, and many cousins.
A private graveside service will take place at the burial site, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Church of the Brethren, 301 Gale Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.
The Sullivan Funeral Home is honored to serve the Heilman family.