HEIKENS, Rodney D. 1941-2021

HEIKENS, SHINN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/8/2021 at 17:46:36

Rodney D. Heikens was born in Wellsburg, Iowa on October 20, 1941 to Evert and Lorraine Heikens. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Wellsburg High School. He then attended The Devry Institute in Chicago, IL where he studied to be an electrician.

Nancy J. (Shinn) Heikens was born October 20, 1945 (They shared the same birthday!) in Portland, OR to George and Alta Shinn. They moved to Phoenix where she attended Phoenix Union High School and worked as a bookkeeper.

Rodney moved to Arizona where he met Nancy. They married on April 26, 1969. The second marriage for both. They lived the American dream. With hard work, amazing courage, and self-reliance they lived an incredible life. They were self-employed most of their married life, always working together through good times and challenging times. They owned and operated numerous businesses together including RR (Red Rod) Electrical, a horse ranch where they owned horses, as well as boarded horses for clients, and Desert Fly Control, a pest control for dairy farms and horse ranches. In 1986, after all their children were out of the house, Rodney and Nancy moved to the Show Low, AZ area to escape the heat in Phoenix. It was at this time that they started their next business adventure, a mobile home dealership in Show Low which they owned for many years and sold new and used mobile homes.

After retiring, they moved to Temple, Texas for a couple years as doctors said they needed to live at lower altitudes for health reasons. They ended up moving back to Show Low as they missed their family and friends.

Nancy and Rodney spent almost all their time together. They loved taking trips to the casinos, especially in Laughlin, Nevada, as well as trips to visit family and friends around the country. They taught their children to always work hard, to be self-reliant and willing to take chances.

They were taken by Covid just nine days apart. They are survived by children, Robin Jaeger (Dan Macleod), Deborah Miller, Victoria Gail, Karen Tuitt (Jim) and Jon Heikens (Tanya); grandchildren Nichole, Jessica, Ashley, James, Justin, Amber, Kyle, Bryce and Jordan; great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Tatum, Asylin, Paxton and Braiden. Rodney’s sister, Twyla Megaw; Nancy’s sisters, Mary Randgaard and Lottie Monen.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 1:00 P.M. at the Torreon Golf Club, 651 S. Torreon Loop, Show Low, Arizona 85901. The inurnment will take place at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Green Acres Memorial Park and Cemetery 401 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85257.

--Owens Livingston Mortuary (www.owenslivingstonmortuary.com)