Faithful, to wife Rosie and to God. Fascinated by life itself and not at all boring, finding great joy in art. A great heart for the poor. These qualities of Nicholas P. Heille were the focus of Father Jake Anderson’s homily at Heille’s Dec. 30 send-off through St. Lawrence/Newman Center where Nick was a longtime member. Nick died on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2023, at age 83.
Heille’s letters to the Northeaster were so frequent at times that his sister in Nebraska read the paper faithfully and complimented him on “his column,” Rosie related. His subjects varied and he almost always brought new perspectives or commentary on new issues. His intent was to stir the pot, encouraging dialog and examination, a rare statesmanlike quality.
He was among the few who caucused as a Republican in the Northeast-Southeast Minneapolis area and ran in 1990 for the State Senate.
When artists started locating in Northeast’s former warehouses and home studios, he was among the first to embrace and encourage them. Josh Blanc, longtime chair of Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, remembers many a visit over more than a quarter century. (See p. 12, Arts Insights.)
House guests could see early work of now well-established artists displayed along the walls of their 1950s rambler, which they once opened for the Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour. They purchased art, and through Northeast Artists Concierge Service, helped others find accessible art in Northeast. Nick learned sculpture — some of his work remains in the back yard of the home a neighbor purchased. “He was a Renaissance man,” Rosie said.
Nick had a stroke a few weeks prior to receiving, with Rosie, a 2015 Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Vision Award. At the occasion, Nick wore a vest made by Audrey Henningson with silhouettes of Northeast buildings against a brilliant sunset. Granddaughter Gray wore the vest at the Mass of Christian Burial.
And Rosie wore a familiar red and blue skirt and scarf, the fabric of which had been woven by Nick himself at a workshop. Attendees were invited to take one of Nick’s many baseball caps collected on the Heilles’ travels and from volunteering with the Boy Scouts for over 30 years. “I was also a Scout Leader,” said artist Loretta Bebeau, claiming a scouting cap. Anna Becker from Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) remembered Nick referring to himself as “Arthur A. Whirl,” even submitting art under that name.
Rosie said DeLaSalle High School graduate Nicholas attended St. Thomas for a little while, thinking he might become a teacher, then decided it wasn’t for him. He thought he’d travel the world, but only got as far as New York before running out of money. He became a novice with the Christian Brothers and got to know Dorothy Day at the Catholic Worker House in New York City. Then Nick and Rosie, who had met on double dates with other people, bumped into each other again while he, Northeast Minneapolis-raised, was home on Christmas vacation. Eventually he invited her to vacation in New York, where he proposed.
Rosemary was from South Minneapolis. They married in 1969, and in the late ’60s Nick started working with computers as a systems analyst. He worked for 20 years for Hennepin County.
One thing Rosie would like people to know about Nick, aside from his having been “a man of great curiosity,” is how generous he was. He once was paying for a car repair and overheard a man getting the bad news that his car couldn’t be fixed in time for a family vacation. “Take my car and bring it back when you’re done,” Nick offered. “He trusted people,” Rosie said. “And that worked out fine.”
From 2001 to 2012, the Heilles produced a religious or spiritual art show, each year finding a different church or venue to host it, until they spun it off to the Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery.
Nick and Rosie traveled and volunteered after retirement. They joined the Exchange Club and kept up with NEMAA, Rosemary having served on the earliest board of directors and having researched and arranged for their nonprofit status. Memorials are suggested to NEMAA or Catholic Charities.
Nicholas is survived by his wife Rosie, sister Shirley Graczyk, brother Chris and wife Denise, sister-in-law Lou Thoma, daughter Mary Barker and husband Eric, son John and wife Laura Aase; family by choice Bridget and Grant Altmann; grandkids Paige Barker, Wren Heille, Gray Heille, and Norah Heille; Maggie Altmann; many cousins, nieces and nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Leddy, sister Rita McGinnis and husband John, brother Bernie, brothers-in-law Art Graczyk and Ben Thoma.
Nick and Rosie at the SNOBall 2003