Herkimer- Christopher H. Heinbockel, age 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday afternoon, November 7, 2010 at Folts Home, Herkimer. He had been a resident of Folts Home since October 5, 2010. He was born on December 16, 1921, in Ozone Park, NY, son of the late Christopher P. and Henrietta Schwinn Heinbockel. Christopher was raised in Mineola, and lived most of his life on Long Island. He was a graduate of Mineola High School. He furthered his education at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, attending college in the evenings, and went on to be a Mechanical Engineer. Mr. Heinbockel first worked for Chase Manhattan Bank and for a heating and air conditioning company, prior to enlisting in the military. He proudly answered the call of his country, and enlisted in the U.S. Army in April of 1942. He received his basic training with the 76th Infantry Division, where he became a radio operator. After that he was transferred to the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Bragg, NC. He served in seven campaigns in the war: North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily,the D-Day Landing at Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, Ardennes(Battle of the Bulge) and Rheinland, Germany. For each of these 7 campaigns, he received a bronze star for his European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal. He was honorably discharged at the end of the war, attaining the rank of Sergeant. On September 28, 1947 Christopher was united in marriage with the former Marion Elizabeth Kruger inTarrytown. Chris and Marion shared a loving and devoted union of 62 years, until her passing on June 6th of this year. Upon returning home after the war, Mr. Heinbockel worked for 5 years for a company designing and building ship instruments, until 1950. He then joined Airborne Instruments Laboratory in Mineola, while completing his college education at night. Mr. Heinbockel retired in 1985 after thirty-five years of dedicated service at AIL. After his retirement, he and his wife moved from Huntington Station, Long Island to New Bern, NC. They moved again in the year 2000 to Herkimer. Mr. Heinbockel was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Herkimer. In his leisure time he enjoyed woodworking, gardening, listening to music, and traveling with his wife. Christopher will be greatly missed by his family. Surviving are his two sons, Christopher P. Heinbockel of Glen Rock, NJ, and John and his wife, Leora Heinbockel of Summerfield, NC, one daughter, Susan and her husband Paul Spofford of Little Falls, a brother, Edwin Heinbockel and his wife, Ruth, of Smithtown, LI, two sisters-in-law, Anneliese Frummet of Snellville, GA, and Catherine Moris and her husband, Robert, of Escondido, CA, six grandchildren, Brian Spofford and his wife, Jill, of Albany, Laurie Spofford Pasqualino and her husband, Vince, of Albany, Laura and Jennifer Heinbockel of Summerfield, NC, Ashley and Thomas Heinbockel of Glen Rock, NJ, one great granddaughter, Kaitlyn Spofford, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. A Funeral service will be held on Saturday, Nov 13, at 3:00pm in Fenner Funeral Home Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. The Reverend Ann Zimmerman, Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Herkimer, will officiate. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Herkimer. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.