Circle A Ranch: Ed Heimark

Ed and Bea Heimark

Edward S. Heimark was born November 19, 1894 at Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. At the age of fifteen the family moved to Kalispell where they owned a meat market, grocery store and ranch. Ed married Lennie Sykes in 1918. In 1933 the family moved to Philipsburg and bought the Shoblom ranch, which was the original J.D. Kennedy ranch and had also been owned by Featherman prior to Shoblom. The Circle A ranch on Section 13, T 6, R.14 was 2220 acres east of Flint Creek and south of Fred Burr. 

Lennie Elizabeth Heimark, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Sykes of Philipsburg, was born in 1895 in Virginia. She died at the ranch on February 5, 1936 of metastatic cancer. Survivors were: husband Ed, and children: Edmond, Jack, Shirley and Richard; and her parents all of Philipsburg. Lennie’s father, John Willis Sykes died just twenty-four hours after Lennie from cardiac failure. The two bodies were taken to Kalispell for a double funeral. 

On April 13, 1939, Ed married Bea Porter Houghton in Missoula. Bea was born on February 23, 1914 in Eureka, Utah to Esther Mae (Dalton) and James W. Webb. The family moved to Butte when Bea was a small child. When her parents divorced her mother married Joe Porter and she lived the rest of her childhood at Porter’s Corner. Bea graduated from Granite County High School in 1934. She married Elmo Houghton on Christmas eve of 1934. Born to this marriage were Patrick and Elmonda who were both born in Utah. Ed brought his children Edmond, John, Shirley and Richard to the marriage and adopted Pat and Elmonda, making it yours, mine and ours. Ed and Bea then had two sons: David and Daniel. 

During the early 1950’s a new home was built on the Circle A ranch. A community minded citizen, Ed served two terms as a Granite County Commissioner and was a member of the School Board. I found where Ed and Bea attended her father’s funeral in Eureka, Utah. James Webb died at the age of sixty-seven after a long illness. Danny and David accompanied their parents to the funeral according to the June 5, 1953, Mail. T

They leased the ranch to Mitchell and Rosalie Munis in 1955/1956, then in 1959 they sold the ranch to Munis and moved into a new home by the Forest Ranger Station in Philipsburg. Ed died at the age of eighty-six at Granite County Memorial Hospital on October 15, 1981. Survivors were: wife Bea, sons: Jack of Philipsburg, Edmond of Spokane, Richard of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, David of Boise and Pat of Missoula; daughters: Shirley Hight of Vienna, Missouri and Elmonda Carlson of Midvalle, Utah; plus twenty eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Allen Bradshaw the branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints performed the funeral service. The grave was dedicated by Pat Heimark. Preceding Ed in death were: sons Jack and Dan, grandson John Heimark and Jerry Merrifield and granddaughter Denise Carlson. Pallbearers were: B.G. Paige, Zane Murfitt, Nick Munis, Bill Metesh, E.R. Winninghoff, and Dave Kesler. 

After Ed died, Bea remained in their home until 1988 when she moved to a retirement Home in Missoula. Bea died on January 13, 1993 in Missoula. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Survivors were: Son Pat and his wife Joan of Missoula, stepsons Edmond of Spokane, Richard of Rockford, Washington; daughter Elmonda Carson of Midvale, Utah; stepdaughter Shirley Hight of Velma, Oklahoma; and sixteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by sons David, Daniel and Jack. 

Their son John E., known as Jack was born December 8, 1919. He was married to Elza Budel on October 26, 1946, according to his obituary and 1947 according to Ancestry. To this marriage was born John and Marilyn. Jack served in the U.S. Army in WWII and died December 1, 1975 of crush injuries to the back and chest when a tree fell on him while logging twenty miles north of Seeley, Montana. 

Edmond (known as young Ed) was born in 1918 and married Shirley Rule March 13, 1942. A son Lee was born to this marriage. Ed, next married Wilma Hunt December 31, 1948. Mrs. Norma Howard, sister of the bride was the maid of honor and Ray Budel was the best man. The wedding was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Helmer Engrav, sister and brother-in-law of the bride. They had two children Eileen, known as Randy (Baile) and Russell, known as Rusty. Ed was Philipsburg Chief of Police and resigned July 1, 1956. He later moved to Umatilla, Oregon where he died on March 6, 2005.