Obituary of Heinz Henkel

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It is with broken hearts but the fondest of memories the Henkel family must announce that Heinz passed peacefully in his sleep listening to the morning news on the radio on Tuesday December 9th, 2025, at his home in Waterloo. He was 69.

For those who knew Heinz, it's difficult to figure out how best to describe him. How does one capture his limitless desire to help everyone he came across, his ability to strike up a conversation with a total stranger like he'd known them his whole life, his funny internet theories that he'd research for hours, his sense of humor that could light up a room, or his fierce love for his family. He was an incredible man with an absolute heart of gold, and his legacy lives on in his friendships, and his family.

Heinz was never afraid of a challenge. He started his career as a licensed electrician, upon moving to Canada he pivoted to working in residential home design with the encouragement of his brother in law Ken, who developed Softplan which became the cornerstone technology Heinz used to start his entrepreneurial journey with the founding of CD Plans Inc. 

Heinz is survived by his loving wife Jane who he met at a disco shortly after he'd first moved to Canada from Germany in 1979. They fell in love, and spent the first few months communicating by using German to English and English to German dictionaries they carried in their pockets. They married in 1983, and their family blossomed. Heinz is survived by his eldest daughter - exceptional artist and animal whisperer - Julia (m. Jeffrey Posluns) born in 1985, his eldest son and math wizz Steven (m. Cindy Henkel) born in 1988, and their happy little surprise Richard (m. Melanie Henkel) born in 1991. 

As a husband, he was very dedicated, and through the simple actions of getting my coffee in the morning or putting a bookmark in my book at night and turning off the light, and everything in between, I could always tell he loved me. He loved the three children we had together, and he would always go to great lengths to try and keep us healthy and happy. I fondly remember all the times we went to the family cottage with family, friends, or just the two of us, just to relax and watch the waves crash onto the shore. He had such a strong character, I always felt comfort knowing he was there by my side and could depend on him whenever a problem seemed too complicated to solve, he would always find a way through it. I loved Heinz dearly, and will miss him more than words can describe.

As a father, our dad was a man of integrity, loyalty, and the purist example of always trying to help those around him in any possible way he could. He taught us what it meant to love, and how to navigate through the hard times with a partner (ok maybe that's mostly because our mom is a saint but still!). We couldn't have hoped for a better role model as a father, he gave us everything we could have hoped for, and supported each of us in so many ways that said I love you even when we didn't understand it at the time. We spent hundreds of hours out on the lake, and every time we ended with the same phrase as my dad pulled the boat into the dock - and it feels appropriate to say it now one last time. “Thanks for the ride Pa.” We love you.

Heinz was blessed with a second chance at life in 2016 when he suffered from a heart attack, and thanks to the heroic efforts of the medical staff at St Mary’s hospital, he lived to see the birth of all 7 of his grandchildren who survive him. Theo, Toby, Owen, Emmie, Elliott, Lily & Layla will all miss Opa tremendously, especially Lily who broke into the widest of grins when Opa walked into the room.

Heinz is also survived by his loving sister Gisela Willms of Aurich, her husband Frank. Heinz had just returned from Germany where he'd laid his recently deceased father Johann to rest alongside his mother Else who'd passed away last year.

Visitation will take place at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S, Waterloo, on Monday, December 15, 2025, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. The funeral service will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow in the funeral home’s Fireside Reception Room. Interment to follow at Parkview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family or donations to WRHN Foundation - Cardiac Care Centre may be arranged through the funeral home at 519-745-8445 or at www.erbgood.com.