Edwin Hein's Obituary

In Part From the Contra Costa Times Newpaper

Edwin Hein, age 92, long time resident of Diablo Valley, passed away peacefully in his home at sunset on February 16, 2018 in the presence of his loving family.  He was born on September 21, 1925 on the Hein Ranch near Marsh, Dawson County, Montana*.  At the age of one, Edwin and his family moved to a new ranch that had once been the Lone Tree Fort near Sidney Richland, Montana where he enjoyed exploring (like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer) along the Yellowstone River with his friends.  He was removed from school after the sixth grad to help on his parent's ranch where he developed his core physical strength "shoveling ton after ton of sugar beets and bucking hay".  When he was sixteen he drove his parent's car on the family move from eastern Montana all the way to Lodi, California.  He laughingly described the trip as "like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies".  Edwin was scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan until the abrupt finish of WW II.  He witnessed the aftermath of the atomic bomb blasts as a member of the occupation force.  After discharge from the United States Army he married Rosemary Lazio on February 22, 1948 in Lodi.  He earned his journeyman's electrician license, as well as his GED, in lieu of a high school diploma.  He worked hard to keep his five children, age six months to eleven, together following Rosemary's tragic death in 1961.  Edwin was not only a true American entrepreneur, but also an inventor who owned a patent on an electrical panel safety upgrade that was implemented at the Dupont plant in Antioch, California.  He designed a pragmatic bomb shelter, in the mid 1960's, to protect his family in case Diablo Valley suffered what he saw first hand in Hiroschima.  He also designed a home solar system, that was far ahead of its time, in the early 1970's.  He started several businesses over the years, including Hein Lighting & Electric which is still a highly respected contracting company in the Diablo Valley to this day, operated by his son, James Dean Hein.  Edwin's secret to success was three fold. First and foremost, he out-worked/hustled the competition.  Second, he was an excellent problem solver.  Finally, he was a great salesperson who was fearless marketing his awning, carpet cleaning, and electrical contracting businesses door to door.  He won numerous sales awards over a number of years in the insurance industry.  He provided jobs people over the years, several of whom made them their starts in.  He also had a knack for developing land, which he demonstrated in a number of locations around Northern California.  In his 60's he decided to go back to his roots and build a farm that he coined "Lost Marbles Ranch", located north of Capay, California.  An inventor/problem solver to the very end, he recently invented a simple contraption to mak cleaning up yard waste far less difficult.  Edwin Hein was a God fearing Lutheran who could not consciously tell a lie.  Edwin loved his William Penn nickel cigars, fast cars, reading, body surfing, dancing with beautiful women, and (especially) he loved his family.

Edwin is survived by four children (Steve, John, Jim, and Richard), four daughters-in-law (Chris, Irina, Beth, and Lori), fourteen grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, two siblings (Lillian and Danny), three* sisters-in-laws (Sis, Darleen and Helen), and many nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents (Ludwig and Christina, nee Schweickert, Hein), two children (Kathleen and Joseph), three wives (Rosemary, Elaine and Gwen), four sisters (Maggie, Regina, Bertha and Alice) and two brothers (Richard and Oscar).

The family will be holding a private memorial celebration....

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*Additions and changes from the original article in the Contra Costa Times, Concord, CA published 24 Feb 2018 by Edwin's niece, Judy A. Remmick-Hubert,  family genealogists.