Donald Dean "Don" Heine Sr., 86, of Metropolis, was surrounded by his family when he was called to his heavenly home on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019.
Don was born Oct. 23, 1932 to the late Roy and Loudene Heine in Harrisburg. He attended Harrisburg public schools through graduation in 1950.
Don was a devout Christian, accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior at the age of 13. He was a former deacon and a faithful member for 54 years of Metropolis First Baptist Church. Don was a Kentucky colonel and avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Don married his childhood sweetheart, Rita Nell Ledbetter, in June 1951. This marriage produced three loving children, Don Jr., John and Susan.
Don was further blessed with six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Loudene Heine; his wife of 48 years, Rita N. Heine; a brother, Charles A. Heine; son, John Edward (Linda Loncteaux) Heine; nephew, Charles W. Heine; and niece, Kimberly Heine.
After the death of his first wife, Don married Shirley Beck of Metropolis in 2000. He survived her death in 2018.
Don had a storied working career, beginning at a very early age and including jobs such as paperboy, drugstore attendant, grocery store clerk, security guard with the railroad, and lineman with Illinois Commercial Telephone Co.
He provided for his family as an employee with Allied Chemical (currently Honeywell), working there 32 years as an operator, production shift foreman, and production shift supervisor before retiring in 1993.
Don is survived by his son, Don D. (Christy) Heine Jr. of Erlanger, Kentucky, daughter, Susan L. (Kenny) Myers, grandsons John D. (Kara) Heine and Brian C. Heine, all of Metropolis; grandson Brandon Heine and granddaughter Erin (Chad) Peterson of Erlanger, Kentucky; grandson Jacob Myers and granddaughter Jodi Myers.
He is also survived by great-grandchildren Olivia, Hannah, Devin, Brian, Lucy, Drake and Cason Heine, all of Metropolis and Alex and Owen Peterson of Erlanger, Kentucky; great-great grandchild Stella Heine of Metropolis; sisters-in-law Opal Heine of Metropolis and Julie (Harold) Wilson of Harrisburg; and nephews Steve (Sue) Heine of Metropolis and David (Rose Marie) Heine of Paducah, Kentucky.
Friends and family may pay their respects 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 at Aikins-Farmer-Loftus-McManus Funeral Home in Metropolis and again from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Metropolis First Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at noon, where Dr. Joe Buchanan will officiate.
Burial will follow in Metropolis Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Metropolis First Baptist Church Building Fund, 307 Massac Creek Road, Metropolis, IL 62960.
Pallbearers will be Jacob Myers, John Dean Heine, Brian Heine, Brian Heine Jr., Devon Heine, Brandon Heine, Jacob Johnson and Jodi Myers.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Aikins-Farmer-Loftus-McManus Funeral Home in Metropolis.
Online condolences may be left at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com.
