Daniel Frederick Heepke passed away the evening of January 22nd, 2024 days after his 70th birthday.  He will be missed and remembered as an enthusiastic farmer, a prolific artist, a man of faith, a lover of music, a world traveler, an avid outdoorsman, and a loving brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and friend.

Dan was born in Denver, CO on January 20th, 1954 to Carl Heepke and Ruth Rohde Heepke. He grew up skiing, swimming, scouting, and sailing. Carl moved the family to Burlington, CO in 1966 to build a salebarn before ultimately settling in Fort Morgan, CO to build a feedlot. Dan attended Fort Morgan High School and graduated in 1972.

Dan studied Art at Colorado College where he developed his creative practice. He spent summers home working as a feedlot cowboy to fund his adventures to South America, India, and Europe. One such summer, he met a young woman working at the library, Gina Keenan, fell in love, and followed her to Gunnison, CO. While Gina worked on her business degree at Western State, Dan cowboyed for ranches up-valley.

The two married and set down roots in Fort Morgan, CO purchasing a farm north of the South Platte River. Dan farmed, ran cattle, and painted while Gina became increasingly more valuable at her grandfather's insurance company. They had two children, Maxfield and Isabella. Dan was a devoted father, encouraging and supporting his children's passions. In his prime, Dan was an active community member serving as an Elder for his church and devotedly advocating for recreation in Morgan County. He took great joy in planning the family's rugged adventures in the Colorado high country and to some of the finest art museums in the world.

At the age of 55, Dan was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He slowly let go of his responsibilities on the farm to travel and spend time with Gina at their home in Summit County. In 2022, Dan's condition worsened, requiring him to move into Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center in Brush, CO. Later that year he lost Gina to cancer.

Dan is survived by his sister Carol Heepke of Longmont, CO, his son Max Heepke and his wife Jennifer Wray of Paonia, CO, his daughter Isabella Heepke-Laws and her husband Ray Laws and their children Theodore and Eloise Laws of Fort Morgan, CO.

Services will be held on February 17th, 2024 at 11am at the United Presbyterian Church in Fort Morgan, CO, followed by a reception and light lunch. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making donations directly to Outward Bound, SOS Outreach, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Facility.