Donald Heikkila, 79

Donald Neil Heikkila, a lifetime resident of Harrison, died June 27, 2026, at Benewah Community Hospital after an extended illness. He was 79 years old, or as Don liked to say, 70-ish. Don lived a remarkable and memorable life of service. His was a life well lived.

Don was the only child of Neil and Erma Heikkila and lived on Harrison Flats, on what was, in his youth, a family dairy farm, and later, over the course of his life, operated as a ranch and tree farm. Don was a nearly 60-year member of the Grange and served in roles including as the President of the Harrison Grange, the National Grange Western Regional Membership Director and then in 2012 was elected as the 17th President of the Idaho State Grange. Don was recognized as the Idaho Tree Farmer of the Year in 2010. He also served on and became the Chairman of the Idaho Soil Conservation Commission under the appointment of Gov. Cecil Andrus.

A Vandal through and through, Don graduated in 1970 from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with an emphasis in journalism. Don dedicated more than 40 years to students at Kootenai High School as a driver’s education instructor, with more than 1,800 former students to his credit. Don was a regular supporter of Harrison’s Old Time Picnic and for more than 50 years was a volunteer and editor of The Harrison Searchlight, an annual publication recapping histories of residents and of the Harrison area; each year, Don collected photos and stories, then wrote, published and mailed out the Searchlight to coincide with the Old Time Picnic.

In addition to his life as a rancher and tree farmer, Don served and volunteered on a number of boards, including the Cenex Cooperative Supply Board of Directors and the Idaho State Coop Council Board, was a Master Gardener and a member of the Idaho State Horticulture Society and was a local precinct chair for the Idaho Democratic Party.  

Most of all, Don enjoyed time with friends and family, both on the farm and while traveling the world, including visits to his family’s ancestral home in Finland. Don embraced his Finnish heritage, and in addition to traveling to Finland and connecting with relatives there, he learned to speak Finnish and was active in the Finlandia Foundation and in the Finnish heritage class hosted for many years by Leona Hassen. He formed the Camera Club, a group of local friends who, like Don, enjoyed photography and who traveled throughout the Pacific Northwest to capture that perfect picture. He will be greatly missed by his family, by his lifetime of friends and neighbors on Harrison Flats and beyond, and by all who were touched by his generosity, teaching and dedicated civic and volunteer service.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Neil and Erma. In addition to his many friends and neighbors, Don is survived by a group of cousins and their extended families, including Kara Heikkila (Rathdrum), Alan Heikkila (Meridian), Ted and Cheryl Baldwin (Rathdrum), Carol Ann Reager (Washington), Kathleen Nerison (Montana), Rosemary Reager (Montana), Brenda Rinaldi (Washington) and Jackie McGillivray (Kingston). 

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff and caregivers of Valley Vista and Benewah Community Hospital, who cared for Don during the past four years. We are forever grateful for their kindness and the extraordinary care for both Don and our family.

A funeral service will be held to celebrate Don’s life Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in St. Maries. The service will be followed by a gathering in the fellowship hall of the church to share a meal, and then a private burial in the family plot at the Rose Lake Cemetery. Those who wish to remember Don may do so by donating to the Crane Historical Society at 201 S. Coeur d’Alene Ave., Harrison, ID 83833. The Crane Historical Society’s mission is to discover and memorialize the rich history of the Harrison area, which was a lifetime passion for Don. You may visit his online tribute at hodgefuneralhome.com.