Rev. Violette Victoria Heinrich

The Rev. Violette Heinrich of Pine City passed away on Good Friday, April 10, 2009, at the St. Joseph Hospital in Brainerd, MN, at the age of 91 years old. Violette was born on June 14, 1917, on a farm two miles east of Sunrise, MN, the only daughter of Andrew and Christine Peterson, who were both Swedish immigrants. The only girl in a family of four boys, she learned at an early age to cook, clean and take care of her brothers. At a young age of 13, Violette’s dad passed away, and she ventured to the big city of Minneapolis. After being a housemaid for a year, she enrolled in a secretarial course at Northwestern Bible Institute, attending classes in the morning and working afternoons for two years. Always the adventurer, at the age of 23, Violette traveled to the northern mountains of California, not to search for gold, but to do missionary work among 11 tribes of American Indians. She stayed on the reservation, where there was a mission school, for four years. Upon returning to Minneapolis, she enrolled at North Central Bible College for a year. The following summer, after teaching Daily Vacation Bible School in Mankato, she went to work at Sears Roebuck & Company in Minneapolis. After working there for a little over a year and having earned her license to preach, she attended Lake Geneva Bible Camp in Alexandria, MN, the following summer where she met her future husband, the late Rev. Carl Heinrich. Violette was married “on a beautiful fall summer evening”, September 24, 1949. While starting and pastoring a home missions church in Browns Valley, MN, where they lived for about four and a half years, their first two daughters were born. From there they moved for a short time to Pierre, SD, to fill in at an Assemblies of God Church there, then to Glidden, WI, for several years, before moving on to a pastorate in Kaukauna, WI, where their youngest daughter was born. From there they moved to Almelund, MN (not far from where she was born), staying with her mother and oldest brother while her husband traveled the mid-western states as an evangelist. In 1959, they were called to the Assemblies of God Church in Pine City, where they pastored for eight years. They continued to make their home in Pine City in the following years while continuing to minister in many other area churches, Lakeside and Hillcrest nursing homes, as well as having a radio ministry every Sunday morning – the Eternal Life Broadcast – on WCMP for 29 years. After the passing of her beloved husband on May 7, 1998, she continued to minister wherever she could, including the Lakeside nursing home. Over the years, she had learned what it was to be in full-time ministry with her husband, always helping and encouraging others. Giving of herself to meet the needs of others, her love for the Lord continued to motivate her life. On April 20, 2004, Violette was ordained by the Assemblies of God and continued to minister whenever she had an opportunity. She will continue to be lovingly remembered not only by her family and friends, but by many others whose lives were touched during her life and ministry. Violette is survived by her three daughters, Phyllis Pierce of White Bear Lake; Pat (Joe) Dibble of Maple Grove, Debbie (Randy) Anderson of McGregor, six grandchildren, Brenda Roame of Fridley, Buffy Bliss of White Bear Lake, Belinda (Jordan) McOwen of Seattle, Washington, Mickey Pierce of White Bear Lake, Vicki (James) Koplos of Minneapolis, Becka Dibble of Maple Grove, sisters-in-law, Hazel Peterson of Mississippi, Marion Peterson of Minneapolis and many friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, the late Rev. Carl Heinrich, her parents, Andrew and Christine Peterson, and her four brothers, Paul, Dick, Aldor and Lenny Peterson. Rev. Lyn Sahr officiated at funeral services Tue (4/14/09) 11 a.m. at the Pine City Ev. Free Church; 625 Golf Ave. SW with a time of visitation Mon 4-8 p.m.@ Swanson Chapel-Pine City Gravesdie services were held Monday @ 2:30 p.m. at the Kost Free Cemetery; east of North Branch. 37405 Kost Trail, North Branch