Paul Heinle

Paul Allen Heinle — Born in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (Bismarck, North Dakota)

Paul Allen Heinle, age 48, of Mandan, passed away surrounded by his family at Sanford Hospital on August 27, 2026.

He left us early Thursday morning, after 48 years of making those around him laugh, usually with a perfectly timed one-liner, a dramatic story, or a joke at someone else’s expense.

Paul married his high school sweetheart, Heather, and the two celebrated 26 years of marriage this year—an accomplishment Paul would probably insist was mostly due to all of the sacrifices he made for his family, a joke he frequently reminded them of.

Paul had a dry sense of humor and a talent for delivering the perfect comment at exactly the right moment. He also had a flair for dramatic storytelling and could turn even the most ordinary event into a story worth hearing.

But perhaps one of the things that best described Paul was that he never really grew up—and nobody wanted him to. He never outgrew the things that made him happy as a kid. He loved fast cars, Star Wars, comics, Masters of the Universe, superheroes, card games, and video games. He was truly a kid at heart throughout his entire life, and that was part of what made him so much fun to know.

Paul always dreamed of owning another red Plymouth Road Runner, the car he had in high school. Some dreams, apparently, never get old.

Paul graduated from Century High School in 1996 and from Minot State University in 2001 with a degree in finance and management. He spent most of his career in the title work industry before recently making a career change to the property tax division with the State of North Dakota. Outside of his career, Paul also had a passion for real estate investing.

Paul wasn’t afraid to take anyone on in a wrestling match, regardless of their age or size, including Heather’s state wrestling champion uncle. Whether it was a Vikings football game or one of his kids’ activities, Paul could fall asleep just about anywhere. But he always showed up for his kids—even if he wasn’t always awake to see it.

Above all, Paul’s favorite roles were husband to Heather and dad to Hunter, Lexi, and Callie.

Paul & Heather — One of Paul and Heather’s favorite memories was staying up all night, Heather watching Paul play Skyrim. Whether he was spending time with his family, playing a video game, or doing absolutely nothing of importance, Paul had a way of making ordinary moments memorable.

Paul & Hunter — Paul and Hunter spent plenty of time wrestling in the front yard. You can probably guess who won—obviously the guy with the black belt (and it wasn’t Hunter). They took Taekwondo lessons together when Hunter was young and shared a love of rock music. Paul was also looking forward to adding a new title to his list—Grandpa—with Hunter and Cherstin’s baby expected in January.

Paul & Lexi — Paul and Lexi were two peas in a pod, sharing a love of the same music, reading, nature and history documentaries, and—perhaps most importantly—the same dry sense of humor. They also had their own family traditions—including some that may or may not have actually been traditions until Paul and Lexi decided they were. They also enjoyed watching Doomsday Preppers together, because apparently that counted as quality father-daughter bonding time.

Paul & Callie — Paul and Callie once raced around the hotel hallways in rolling chairs, causing a ruckus and proving that Paul never considered himself too old to act like a kid. Callie also inherited Paul’s flair for dramatic storytelling and his ability to turn even the smallest inconvenience into a full-blown production.

There were countless little things that made Paul, Paul. He loved his family deeply, even if he was more likely to express it through teasing, jokes, or doing something ridiculous. He acted as the Easter Bunny, including the annual tradition of painting his kids’ feet on Easter morning. He took an almost unreasonable amount of pride in taking care of his lawn. He loved dressing up as his favorite rocker, Dee Snider. Most of all, he loved being a dad and a husband. He may have joked that he was constantly sacrificing for his family, but the truth is that he spent his life showing up for them.

We like to think that he has finally been reunited with Jax, his faithful four-legged best friend. We hope Jax was there waiting—and probably wondering what took him so long.

Paul leaves behind a family who loves him, countless memories, and more than a few stories that probably shouldn’t be repeated here.

He will be deeply missed—and we suspect there may finally be a red PlymouthRoad Runner, with Jax in the passenger seat waiting for him.

Paul is survived by his wife, Heather Heinle; children, Hunter (Cherstin) Heinle, Lexi Heinle (Carson Masseth), and Callie Heinle; a soon-to-be grandchild due in January; mother, Sandy Fercho (Jerry Heinle); biological dad, Ernest Heinle Jr.; sister, Judy Heinle; in-laws, Michelle (Eugene) Radke and Randy (Cheryl) Hohbein; brother-in-law, Bruce Hohbein (Melissa Kilber); step-sisters-in-law, Tyann (Don) Schmidt, Tanya (Jeremy) Zenker, and Corrie Kuntz; step-niece, Sienna Schmidt; step-nephews, Colton Zenker, Kelly Zenker, Layne Scheid, Zach Vannurden, Druex Kuntz, and Seth Kuntz; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Paul was preceded in death by Jax, the beloved family dog; Donna, his biological mother; Rick Fercho, his foster dad; and his grandparents, Pauline and Ernest Heinle and Edwin and Ella Gruszie; and step-brother-in-law, Chauncey Radke.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at First Lutheran Church in Mandan, with a luncheon to follow at the church. Burial will be at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4-6 PM on Wednesday, September 2, at Weigel Funeral Home in Mandan, with a Prayer Service at 6 PM. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.