Manfred ‘Dick’ Heimann
Longtime Denver resident and the son of Holocaust survivors, Manfred “Dick” Heimann died on September 27, 2022, at the age of 79. A service was held October 2 at the King David Memorial Chapel and Cemetery in Las Vegas, officiated by Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and Cantor Jessica Hutchings of Temple Ner Tamid in Henderson, Nev., Rabbi Mendy Harlig of Chabad of Henderson, and Rabbi David Zaslow of Ashland, Ore. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Mr. Heimann was born in the Shanghai Ghetto in China in 1943. His parents Kurt and Lotte narrowly escaped Nazi Germany in September, 1940, and settled in the Japanese-occupied port district, where more than 20,000 Jews were housed in barracks. They were also subjected to daily bombings by US Air Force planes that were targeting enemies nearby.
In 1945 the US took over the Shanghai Ghetto, and three years later the Heimann family emigrated to the US, landing in Denver in July of that year, making their home on the West Side.
According to his sister Giselle Ratain, their parents chose Colorado as a destination after seeing the film “Springtime in the Rockies” in Shanghai.
That first home was the basement of then IJN editor Robert Gamzey.
Mr. Heimann attended CU, majoring in biology. After graduating, he took a job with Chrysler.
In March, 1970, Mr. Heimann married Mary Oderberg; they moved to Medford, Ore., where Mr. Heimann continued in the auto business. His company, Lithia Automotive Dealers, has grown to the extent that it now rivals AutoNation as the country’s top auto retailer.
Despite this, the family said Mr. Heimann would say of himself, in an understated manner, “I am just a car salesman.”
Heimann’s family calls his “a rags to riches story.”
Survivors include wife Mary; children Nicole (Robert) Sacks and Illisa (Eric) Polis; grandchildren Jacob Sacks, Kyle Polis and Adina Polis; sister Giselle “Gigi” Heimann Ratain (Mark); and brother-in-law Nathan (Bonnee Shafner) Oderberg.
Contributions may be made to HEA.
Copyright © 2022 by the Intermountain Jewish News
