John David Heinrichs

John David Heinrichs died surrounded by his family on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 72 years of age. John is survived by his beloved wife of 48 years, Gail; three devoted daughters and their husbands, Kimberly (Naveed), Krista (Brett), Allison (Sean); and six wonderful grandchildren, Aubrey, Xavier, Elias, Brayden, Elizabeth and Margaret; his sister, Jennifer (Ken); sisters-in law, Cathy (Jim) and Debbie (Al); and six amazing nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Ruth and David, in-laws Edith and Walter, sister-in-law Wendy and her husband Bill.

John was born and raised in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, receiving his Bachelor of Commerce in 1972. In 1974, he earned his Chartered Accountant’s designation and moved from Toronto to Edmonton. In 1981, John co-founded the accounting firm Kouri Berezan Heinrichs Chartered Professional Accountants, now known as KBH, with two dedicated partners, Ken and Dave. John was especially proud of the community of professionals they built together during their thirty-two year partnership. Personally and professionally, John was hardworking, honest and devoted to the well-being of his family, friends, colleagues and clients.

John was an avid golfer, curler and skier and delighted in cheering on the sporting and artistic achievements of his grandchildren. He was a die-hard Saskatchewan Roughriders fan and took great pleasure in sharing the economic philosophies of Henry George with anyone who would listen. John loved to solve problems and puzzle through things. He had a deep appreciation for simple machines and solved many a landscaping and home-repair problem with levers, ramps and pulleys. He could out work every one of his son-in-laws and often left them sweating on the sidelines as he finished laying patio stones, painting baby rooms, repairing decks, or planting trees in their yards. One of his last acts of kindness through engineering involved saving a family of baby ducks from certain death in a deep window well with some patient coaching and well-placed ramps. As you go about your day, please consider John’s appreciation for order and beauty. Whether it was a finely landscaped lawn, a beautiful stand of trees, or a well-designed spreadsheet, John was meticulous and took great pride in all that he did.

John’s parents fled war in Crimea in the 1920s, finding refuge in Canada. In lieu of flowers, he requested that donations in his memory be made to support the people of Ukraine today through UNICEF or the Canadian Red Cross. Lastly, John’s family would like to thank the wonderful staff of the Grey Nuns Palliative Care Unit for the comfort and support they gave John and his family during his short stay in their care.

Please join us in celebrating John’s life and legacy at Hainstock’s Funeral Home, 9810 34th Avenue, Edmonton on Friday, September 30, 2022 at 1:00 pm.