Ralph T. Heinlen

Memorial services for Ralph Trenton Heinlen, 87, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the Palouse Federated Church with Pastor Corey Laughary officiating. A luncheon will follow. An Army honor guard and the Potlatch V.F.W. Post #10300 will participate in the service. Mr. Heinlen died on Feb. 26, 2019 at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax.

Born Feb. 23, 1932, in Bucyrus, Ohio, to LeRoy and Ermina Eckert Heinlen, he spent his early childhood growing up on the family farm where his father raised corn, wheat and soybeans. When Ralph was in the fifth grade, the family moved into town, and he graduated from Bucyrus High School with the class of 1950.

After high school, he attended a trade school for two years to study electronics. In 1952, Ralph was drafted to serve in the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in New Mexico with the Army Signal Corps as a radar repairman.

While attending trade school, he met Carol Beattie, and they were married June 13, 1954 in Euclid, Ohio.

After his discharge, they made their home in Streetsboro, Ohio, where he owned and operated an electronics and TV repair store. In 1977, they moved to Lancaster, Calif., and in 1990 moved to Palmdale, Calif., and he began another business doing custom installations of electronic items. After retiring in 2000, they moved to Palouse to be closer to family and became active members of the Palouse Federated Church. They recently moved to the Hill Ray Plaza in Colfax.

Ralph enjoyed woodworking, and he made many unique pieces that he gave as gifts or sell on consignment at various stores around the Palouse.

Surviving are his wife, Carol, Colfax; son Mark Lee (Kelly) Heinlen of Colfax; daughters Lisa Ann Humphreys of Moscow and Dianne Fern Heinlen of Bellingham; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, Calvin Heinlen of Alabama.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Palouse Federated Church, 635 N Bridge St, Palouse, 99161.

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