Elwood Heine

Elwood Heine. Age 87, was born April 29, 1930 in Carson, North Dakota to Albert and Mollie Klein Heine. The family soon traveled to Minnesota, Montana and Idaho and finally arrived in Auburn, Washington where Elwood grew up with his brothers Al, Ken and Don and his sisters Delores and Dorothy. He was an outstanding basketball player at Auburn High School, and also loved playing baseball and other sports.

After graduating from Auburn High School in 1949, Elwood started working at Boeing but was soon drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He spent his Two-year tour of duty mostly in Anchorage, Alaska doing radio communications. He told his family stories of living in a tent in sub-zero temperatures (tough guy!).

After the Army, he returned to Boeing as an electronic equipment assembler, special project electrician and tool and production planner in Renton with the Commercial Airplane Group. He worked on the Minuteman Project on Harbor Island where he met his future wife, Cecelia, who was a secretary in his shop. They started dating in 1958 and were married on February 20, 1960 and remained happily married for 57 years. They were blessed with three daughters - Joan, Kathleen and Tracy, to whom he was a good Dad. He loved helping out the kids and as they grew older he came to all their events and 4-H horse shows and carried buckets and saddles and helped brush, groom and saddle numerous horses and ponies (despite the fact he was always a little leery of those large beasts).

He and Cecelia have five grandchildren - Courtney, Jason, Kara, Alicia and Jeff --and three great-grandchildren; Amanda, Ashton and Maci Ann. They have brought great joy and good times into his life.

Elwood loved family life and get-togethers and was always a big help around the house and outside where he spent a lot of time building a barn, installing/mending fences and feeding Celia's horses (such a good guy!). He also loved his own kind of sports; bowling in the early years, always golf and finally pitching horseshoes at which he exceled. In all these sports, he was joined by his brothers Al, Don and mostly Ken who was his lifelong best friend and biggest competitor. He always tried, but didn't always succeed in beating Ken at the horseshoe pits. They had great fun together.

Elwood always loved the adventures with Celia such as camping in a tent in the early years and, later, for many years, in a more comfortable trailer. Elwood loved the ocean the most but also enjoyed trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Arizona and Las Vegas as well.

Elwood started attending Mass with Celia the day after they were married and that continued throughout their marriage. They are long time members of St. Barbara Catholic Church in Black Diamond.

Elwood passed from this life on December 1, 2017 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Survivors include his devoted wife Celia, beloved daughters Joan (Bill) Sundqvist, Kathleen Rodriguez and Tracy (Jon) Anderegg, his brother Ken (Mable) and sister Dorothy Moore, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as numerous nephews, nieces and many good friends.

He will always be remembered for being such a kind, thoughtful man and a good friend to all that knew him.

There will be a Rosary at 10:15 am followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at St. Barbara Catholic Church, 32416 6th Avenue, Black Diamond, WA 98010.

Graveside services will be at Mountain View Cemetery, 2020 Mountain View Dr, Auburn, WA 98001 at 2:30 pm that afternoon.

Services entrusted to Edline-Yahn & Covington Funeral Chapel, Kent.

 Born: April 29, 1930 Death: December 1, 2017

Rosary Service

Tuesday December 12, 2017 , 10:15 AM at St. Barbara Catholic Church

Funeral Mass

Tuesday December 12, 2017 , 11:00 AM at St. Barbara Catholic Church

Luncheon to follow service

Urn Committal

Tuesday December 12, 2017 , 2:30 PM at Mt. View Cemetery
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