Virgil Don Heinrich, age 73, Tolstoy, died at home on June 1, 2026 after a 6 months fight/struggle from cancer. Testimonial service will be at 7:30 PM, Saturday, June 6, 2026 and memorial service will be at 10 AM, Sunday, June 7, 2026 at the Bowdle Seventh-day Adventist Church. Burial will follow at the Bowdle Seventh-day Adventist Cemetery.

Virgil, son of Adah (Brenneise) and Clemens Heinrich, was born on January 23, 1953 at the Hoven Hospital. He grew up on a farm eleven miles south of Bowdle with his three brothers, Keith, Jim, and Gordon and two sisters, Elaine and Trudi.

His formal education consisted of a country school, Bowdle Public School, Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, MN, Union College in Lincoln, NE, and Hinsdale Hospital in Illinois. In 1974, Virgil graduated from Hinsdale Hospital as a x-ray technician. He worked at the Bowdle Hospital and later the Hoven Hospital. He continued to farm throughout his life. On June 27, 1982, Virgil married Linda Ruether in Wausau, WI. The couple moved to his great grandparents’ farm south of Bowdle and had four children, Tyron, Tina, Terah, and Taya. In 2001, the family moved to Hutchinson, MN where the children could attend church school. Later, they moved back to the farm in SD in 2008 and Virgil had resided there until his death.

Virgil enjoyed farming, gardening, reading, and spending time with the family including his grandchildren. Virgil had traveled to Pohnpei, Guam, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, and Iceland. Also he enjoyed traveling with his family to the national parks. He was a member of the Bowdle SDA Church and active in ministries. He had a passion for sharing Christ.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; two sons—Tyron (Hilary) Heinrich and Terah (Jessica) Heinrich of Bowdle, SD; two daughters—Tina Heinrich of Guam and Taya Heinrich of Hutchinson, MN; two brothers—Keith (Yvonne) Heinrich of Hutchinson, MN and Jim (Connie) Heinrich of Tolstoy, SD; two sisters—Elaine (Tommy) Babbit of French Lick, IN and Trudi (Steve) Hatch of The Villages, FL; and seven beloved grandchildren—Alyanna Beebe, Aria Beebe, Theo Heinrich, Hallie Heinrich, Esther Heinrich, Vincenzo Heinrich, and Natalie Heinrich. He is preceded in death by his mother on March 29, 2006, his father on April 24, 2006, and brother Gordon Heinrich on February 15, 2020.

Virgil is now resting in peaceful sleep, awaiting the great and glorious return of Jesus.