Raymond Heins Obituary

Raymond Henry Heins, 92, passed away peacefully on Feb. 20, 2013, while in hospice care at a local hospital. Ray was a long-time resident of Colorado Springs where he was a self-employed businessman for many years. Ray was born Jan. 30, 1921, in Loup City, Neb., to Henry and Marie (Mahnke) Heins. He grew up on the family farm and attended the local school. As a young man, he worked on several ranches in Montana and South Dakota until he joined the U.S. Army in 1942. During World War II, he was promoted to sergeant, serving in Africa and India. He also spent two years in the China Combat Command and was honorably discharged in 1945. Following the war, he attended vocational school and studied commercial art at the University of Colorado, Denver. In 1952, Ray established his own sign and pictorial painting business, Heins for Signs, which he operated in Colorado Springs until his retirement in 2003. During his long career, he hand-lettered and painted signs for area businesses, including Van Briggle Art Pottery and The Broadmoor, as well as race cars for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. One of his specialties was gold leaf application, and for years, Colorado Springs Fire Department trucks bore his artwork. During the 1960s, Ray also worked for Naegele Outdoor Advertising Company where he painted commercial billboards. In 1947, Ray married Alma Bulkley of Colorado Springs. Their concern for the plight of orphans following the Korean Conflict led them to be among the first couples in the United States to adopt Korean children. They adopted daughters Lynette in 1958 and Elaine in 1961 and lovingly raised them as their own. After more than 40 years of marriage, Alma passed away in 1989. In 1991, Ray married Ethel Clements of Colorado Springs. With Ethel at his side, Ray pursued his love of travel, visiting numerous sights around the United States. A devout Christian who loved the Lord, Ray was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. He served as an elder and on a number of church boards and committees. He was also active in planning and building Immanuel Lutheran School and was instrumental in planting two area churches, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Manitou Springs, and Faith Lutheran Church, Woodland Park. Ray was an avid bowler and sponsored bowling teams for many years. He enjoyed traveling, fishing, restoring automobiles, photography, woodcarving and landscape and portrait painting. More recently, he carved walking canes in his own unique style out of diamond willow found in his native Nebraska. Ray is survived by his beloved wife Ethel; daughters Lynette Kemp and husband Calvin of Northfield, Vt., and Elaine Foster and husband Randy of Colorado Springs; stepdaughter Judy McCombe Gandolf and husband Richard and stepson Philip Clements, all of Colorado Springs; grandchildren Paul Kemp, Daniel Kemp, Andrew Kemp, Amy Accettella, Jacob Foster, Tiffany Foster, and Carrie Kim and husband Aaron; step-grandchildren Tom McCombe and wife Tanda, James McCombe and wife Connie, and Cindy McCombe Spindler and husband John; great-grandchildren Angelo and Ethan Kim and Isabella Foster; step great-grandchildren Clay and Tabitha McCombe, Daytona and Ryker McCombe, and Jillian and Westley Akers; and five nieces and nephews. Ray was preceded in death by his first wife Alma, brother Alfred, sisters Esther Scherzberg and Sadie (Sue) Tocci, and great-grandson Raymond Accettella. A service of remembrance will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 846 E. Pikes Peak Ave. In Ray's memory, contributions may be made to Concordia Theological Seminary, 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825 to support students studying for the pastoral ministry or Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care through their website at www.pikespeakhospice.org.