Gary Heyn

Gary Heyn, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, worked as an executive at Tolomatic, a manufacturing company in Minneapolis until his retirement. Growing up on a farm near Rochester, Minnesota, he was fascinated by the stories of “the good old days” told to him by his great-grandmother Lydia Heyn. Afternoons spent on the front porch of his parents' house sparked a lifelong interest in history and genealogy, to which he can now devote himself full-time in his retirement, with a particular focus on the former Prussian province of Posen.

Apart from Standing at the Grave, his research is mainly focused on German immigrant farmers in the Upper Midwest and their old home in Posen, which has resulted in a number of articles in genealogical publications.

Gary Heyn lives with his wife in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He currently serves as treasurer for both the Germanic Genealogical Society (GGS) and the International German Genealogical Partnership (IGGP).