Donald 'Jim' Hegna
d. March 8, 2017
Donald James ‘Jim’ Hegna was born on July 13, 1928, in Granite Falls, MN, the son of Thorvald M. and Mary A. (Peterson) Hegna. He passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at the Granite Falls Municipal Hospital at the age of 88 years.
Jim was baptized at Hawk Creek Lutheran Church near Sacred Heart and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at First Lutheran Church which later merged to become Granite Falls Lutheran Church. He attended school in Granite Falls and after graduating in 1946, Jim enlisted in the United States Army. He served in Tokyo, Japan for one year and upon his honorable discharge in 1947, he attended Mankato State Teacher’s College for two years.
On December 27, 1953, Jim was united in marriage to Marjorie Lecy at Rock Valle Lutheran Church. They celebrated sixty-three years together. To this union were born two children- a son, Steven James in 1954 and a daughter, Constance Marie in 1956.
Jim worked in road construction for Minnesota Valley Improvement Company for twenty five years. He then did auto body painting and repair for seventeen years at H & L Chevrolet in Renville. Upon retiring in 1993, Jim had more time to pursue his lifelong interests which included gardening, fishing, hunting, storytelling, garage sales and countless handyman projects. An avid reader, Jim’s life changed greatly as he lost his eyesight to macular degeneration.
He was a member of the Granite Falls American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Granite Falls Lutheran Church.
Surviving family include his wife Marjorie of Granite Falls; his son Steve (& Mary) Hegna of Black River Falls, WI; his daughter Connie (& Brad) Gunderson of Lakeville; grandchildren Johanna (& Ben) Schram of Madison, WI; Kimberly (& Caleb) Johnson of Hoffman Estates, Ill; Claire (& Kevin) Cafferty of Farmington, Allison (& Austin) Skoglund of Minneapolis, Kevin Gunderson of Bloomington, and Kate Hegna of Black River Falls, WI; great granddaughter Norah Jayne Johnson; a brother David (& Fran) Hegna of Ashby, and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters- Dorothy Green & Lois Flammang.
Jim was baptized at Hawk Creek Lutheran Church near Sacred Heart and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at First Lutheran Church which later merged to become Granite Falls Lutheran Church. He attended school in Granite Falls and after graduating in 1946, Jim enlisted in the United States Army. He served in Tokyo, Japan for one year and upon his honorable discharge in 1947, he attended Mankato State Teacher’s College for two years.
On December 27, 1953, Jim was united in marriage to Marjorie Lecy at Rock Valle Lutheran Church. They celebrated sixty-three years together. To this union were born two children- a son, Steven James in 1954 and a daughter, Constance Marie in 1956.
Jim worked in road construction for Minnesota Valley Improvement Company for twenty five years. He then did auto body painting and repair for seventeen years at H & L Chevrolet in Renville. Upon retiring in 1993, Jim had more time to pursue his lifelong interests which included gardening, fishing, hunting, storytelling, garage sales and countless handyman projects. An avid reader, Jim’s life changed greatly as he lost his eyesight to macular degeneration.
He was a member of the Granite Falls American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Granite Falls Lutheran Church.
Surviving family include his wife Marjorie of Granite Falls; his son Steve (& Mary) Hegna of Black River Falls, WI; his daughter Connie (& Brad) Gunderson of Lakeville; grandchildren Johanna (& Ben) Schram of Madison, WI; Kimberly (& Caleb) Johnson of Hoffman Estates, Ill; Claire (& Kevin) Cafferty of Farmington, Allison (& Austin) Skoglund of Minneapolis, Kevin Gunderson of Bloomington, and Kate Hegna of Black River Falls, WI; great granddaughter Norah Jayne Johnson; a brother David (& Fran) Hegna of Ashby, and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters- Dorothy Green & Lois Flammang.
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