Walter E. Heinrichs

Walter E. Heinrichs, Jr., died October 10, 2013, in Tucson after a brief illness. Beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, geophysicist, prospector, mine finder and mining industry advocate. Born in Superior, AZ, January 16, 1919, son of Walter E. Heinrichs and Mary G. (Smith) Heinrichs. He attended high school in the Philippines and Colorado and graduated with a degree in Geological Engineering, with a major in Geophysics from Colorado School of Mines in 1940. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, looking for oil in Alaska. He was co-discoverer of the Pima Mine (now the ASARCO Mission Complex) south of Tucson in the early 1950s. In 1958, he formed Heinrichs GEOEXploration Co. with his brother Grover and made a career of looking for other major metallic ore deposits all over the world. He was a life member of the Arizona Geological Society and the American Institute of Professional Geologists. He was also a long-time member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and served on the Board of Governors of the Arizona Department of Mineral Resources. He was instrumental in the creation of the Mining Foundation of the Southwest and was recipient of the Ben F. Dickerson Award in 2001 from the Society of Mining Engineers, for professionalism and contributions to the mining industry. He is survived by his wife, Rosella; son, Frederick Walter Heinrichs of Bozeman, MT; six grandchildren, Ty Heinrichs of Nixa, MO, Myla Colbert of Tacoma, WA, Aubrin Heinrichs of Belgrade, MT, Alma Heinrichs of Mesa, AZ, Ian Heinrichs of Queen Creek, AZ, and Aelynn Durham of Fullerton, CA; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jean; son, Douglas; and brother, Grover. A Celebration of Walter's life will be held at Grace Evangelical Covenant Church, 9755 N. La Cholla Blvd., Tucson, AZ, Sunday, October 27, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Walter's memory to the Colorado School of Mines Foundation, P.O. Box 4005, Golden, CO 80402-4005. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel.