Hein Hettinga

Hein Hettinga

January 31, 1942 October 8, 2023

Hein Hettinga, 81, of Muleshoe, Texas died on October 8, 2023.

Hein was born in January of 1942 to Gerben and Trijnte Hettinga in the town of Oppenhuizen during the German occupation of the Netherlands.

Hein emigrated from the Netherlands to the United States in May of 1950 with his parents, his older sister and his younger brother. Inspired by opportunity, they rode the bus from New York to Los Angeles and settled near his uncle's dairy farm and family in Norwalk, California.

From a young age, Hein understood the value of hard work, persistence and determination. He was always thinking and striving toward a goal. At age 13 he started working on a chicken farm, and later began milking cows. He started a hoof trimming business which he sold to buy his first herd of cows and start his first dairy in 1971 in Corona, California. With that dairy, he became a seventh-generation dairy farmer, continuing the family's legacy which began in the Netherlands in 1711.

From there Hein spearheaded the family owned and operated dairies and facilities which have continued to expand and grow. It currently operates in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Hein took great pride in his family owned and operated businesses. He valued his employees and business colleagues and attributed much of his success to the people around him. He was arguably one of the most tenacious dairymen in the country. There was no challenge he viewed as insurmountable, and he will be greatly missed.

Hein is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Pete Hettinga.

Hein is survived by five children and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Annie Nyenhuis and his brother, Ted Hettinga.

We ask that in lieu of flowers please send a donation to the Yuma Food Bank.

Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun