Obituary of Walter L. Heilman

Walter L. Heilman, Jr., 74, of 3779 Dailey Hill Road, Kennedy, died Wednesday, February 12, 2020, in Heritage Village Rehab and Skilled Nursing facility and went to be with the Lord. He was born May 20, 1945, in Jamestown, a son of the late Walter Heilman, Sr. and Pollyanna Wright Heilman Morrison. Prior to his retirement he was employed by Local 17 Operating Engineers Union as a heavy equipment and bulldozer operator. He earlier had worked for Blackstone and McFadden Ford. He was known for his diligence, strong principles, and love of food and animals. He was an active outdoorsman that enjoyed hunting, snowmobiling, motorcycling, spending time in the woods, and remodeling his home. In his later years he spent time teaching his grandchildren his outdoorsman skills, rebuilding his tractors and "puttering" in his garage. He was a member of Fluvanna Community Church, Town of Poland Senior Citizens, Roger Tory Peterson Institute and Audubon Community Nature Center. Surviving are his wife Julie Radspinner Heilman, whom he married April 2, 1965; two children Lynn (Michael) Classon of Jamestown and Patrick (Kristi Oldham) Heilman of John Island, SC; three grandsons Tyler, Ryan and Alex Classon of Jamestown; a sister Bonna (Stewart) Westerlund of Jamestown and stepmother Shirley Heilman of Murfreesboro, TN. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a brother Eugene Heilman and a sister Gloria Radspinner. The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Lind Funeral Home. Rev. Dayle F. Keefer will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Kennedy. Friends will be received from 1-3 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. The family would like to thank Ann and Bill Harris, Sam Byler, the Kennedy Fire Department, and the Falconer Fire Department for all of their kind support. Memorials may be made to Fluvanna Community Church, 3363 Fluvanna Ave, Jamestown, NY 14701, or the Kennedy or Falconer Fire Departments. You may leave words of condolence at www.lindfuneralhome.com.