Heinz was born in Neu Stettin, Germany, on April 2, 1930. (Neustettin became part of Poland post WWII.) He had an idyllic childhood with loving parents, an identical twin brother, and an older sister. WWII was not a big part of his life because his family had little to do with the war, and his parents worked on a large farm and mill. This ended abruptly in 1945 when the Red Army came to Neustettin in February of 1945. He witnessed his Grandfather, who thought he could show the Russians his Swiss citizenship papers and be safe just as he had in the 1st World War, shot for moving to help someone in the basement of his house. During the few days of occupation, he was exposed to horrors no boy should endure. His father was shot, and he and his mother were sent to Gulags in Siberia. His mother perished two months before his release.
He made his way in the post-war world, becoming a Master Engineer supported by Mercedes Benz in Berlin. When the Russian tanks rolled in, he decided to leave Germany and head to the US for a safer life for his family despite his rapid ascent into management positions at Mercedes, including leading a 60-person R&D group. His daughter was born shortly after his arrival with his wife in 1964. He found work as a mechanic’s helper at Foley Machinery and spent the rest of his career there dutifully. He appreciated the excellent healthcare his union afforded him.
Never one to complain, he continued working at a career that would not meet his potential with dedication seldom seen. He developed close friendships with colleagues and shared his extensive knowledge with anyone wishing to learn. He will be sorely missed by his good friends, Walter Yetman, George Null whom he spoke within 2 weeks of his death, as well as by Helmut Schmidt.
He and his beloved wife, Lilo, poured all of their energy and dreams into life in the US with their only child, Christine.
Heinz was a tireless supporter of those he loved. Whenever overtime was available, he often arose at 4 am and returned at midnight to save for Christine’s college. He drove hundreds of miles to attend Christine’s college track meets with a camera in his hand. He retired to Charlottesville, VA, at 62 to enjoy life with his wife. Soon after, she became ill with Lewy body and vascular dementia. He cared for her on his own for 15 years, until her last days spent at Hospice of the Piedmont. Whenever you saw them together, he looked at her with the same adoring eyes he had for her when they met in Berlin.
Heinz left this life the way he lived it. Feeling rundown and tired, he went to many doctors to find the cause. In his final two months, he learned that he had gastric cancer and made the decision to enter hospice. He transitioned on April 11, 2024, at the Hospice of the Piedmont. He was surrounded by his daughter, her loving husband, Stephen Tavares, and grandson, Kiah, during his final days. Many will miss him, but the legacy of his long life, well-lived with the highest principles, abundant love, and generosity, will live on forever.
