Daddy died, August 11th, at 3:30 AM. We were with him when he said goodbye. It was very peaceful, and it went exactly the way he wanted it to go. With Dignity.
Before he died, he made sure that my sister Natalie had his obituary in order. He proofread it and gave it the big thumbs up. That was the last piece of unfinished business that he needed to tend to. Once it was done, he was ready. He died about one day later. I am going to copy it here, in its entirety. Daddy was super inspiring, adventurous, honest and amazing. I feel so blessed to have had him as my father.
This is what I shared with the congregation at his memorial service.
My Father taught me to love Music, the Written Word, Cinema, photography, Theater and Live performances of all kinds. The arts surrounded me in my youth. We had a dark room in our basement and we spent summers touring museums and ancient castles. Some of My earliest memories include him showing me the hidden rhythms of classical music while stomping his feet on the floorboards and driving in our VW bus, or me sitting at the edge of the stage as he directed plays in the church. From Daddy I learned the gods of Ancient Mythology and the importance of the hero’s journey. To appreciate, the Classics and to explore the worlds of Science Fiction. He showed me that the mysteries of the past would always be connected to us and to future generations, when we participate, through story telling, music, poetry, painting, sculpture, and architecture.
He was a self described “Romantic”. He also had a great sense of humor.
He taught thousands of students how to express themselves.
Before he died he asked me to read him a poem aloud. As I read it he was using his hands and face to direct my cadence.
I would like to read a portion of that poem to you. Then I would like to share a poem that means a great deal to me that I think he would have loved.
Ode to the West Wind, by Percy Bysshe Shelly 1820 part 5
Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
What if my leaves are falling like its own?
The tumult of thy might harmonies
Will take from both a deep autumnal tone,
Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit Fierce,
My Spirit! Be Thou me, impetuous one!
Drive my dead thoughts over the universe,
Like withered leaves, to quicken a new birth;
And, by the incantation of this verse,
Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearth
Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be though my lips to unawakened earth
The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter Comes, Can Spring be far behind?
The Walls Of the Cave Lyrics by Tom Marshall 2002
I'm leaving you a message,
I'm leaving you a trace,
I'm leaving thoughts for you
I hope that time will not erase.
And when the moment comes
To read the words that I engraved,
You'll find them on the walls of the cave,
Of the cave.
I know you heard the question
But you didn't make a sound,
And when it fell you caught my heart
Before it hit the ground.
But if you ever need the names
Of those you couldn't save,
You'll find them on the walls of the cave.
You'll find them on the walls of the cave.
Look at me and time stands still
A mountain here is now a hill.
Look away,
Look away,
The time goes past.
These rocks will fall away at last.
Look away.
Maybe you will see it
As you're passing by alone,
Below the moss forgotten
where some words that turned to stone.
It might have been an etching
On a marker of a grave,
Or maybe on the walls of the cave.
Listen to
The silent trees
But still your words float on the breeze
Look away
I see them all
Carved into the cavern wall
Listen to …the silent trees
Listen to…. The silent trees
John E. Heins, 74, much loved in the community and in the classroom, died from metastatic cancer of the neck and head on August 11th, 2010. He died in Arlington Virginia, in his home of 40 years, surrounded by loved ones. He was a kind and gentle man, who left this world a better place, and went out smiling.
Born June 5th, 1936 in Kolar, India, the son of Missionaries, John led an exciting childhood: cobra sightings and tiger hunts were normal for the adventurous John. By the time he reached college, he had traveled around the world three times. He settled down in the United States from 1954 to 1958 and got his degree in English from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Soon after, John received a scholarship to be in the first graduating class at the school of International Service. He wanted to attend the school and get a Master’s Degree. Before he could complete this dream, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. In 1960, his Army assignment was in Puerto Rico, where he was taught to teach English as a Second Language to Spanish speaking recruits. After two years, he was given the chance to return to his Master’s Degree which he continued at American University in Washington, DC.
In the Spring of 1963, John graduated with a Master’s Degree in Latin American Studies. After President Kennedy spoke at A.U’s commencement, John finished his research in Guerrilla warfare and counter insurgency in Cuba, and then felt inspired to see the world. He took off on an adventure of a lifetime. Starting in San Francisco, John traveled on a Lambretta 150 Motorscooter. He managed to make his way, traveling only with an old Army shelter half, down to Panama, but was not allowed to import his scooter over the border. He then made the rest of the trip down through Latin America by hitchhiking, on foot, riding busses, in the back of trucks, on horseback and in a dugout canoe. His travels lasted 18 months.
John returned to the United States in 1965 and began teaching at the Institute for Modern Languages in Washington DC. He started as a teacher, and when he left that job in 1967 he had moved up to management. What followed were several years of John managing various language programs all over the nation. He worked his way up to becoming vice president of the the American Express Language Center. This job took him all over the world. In 1967, John met Edith Craig, a creative, young high school art teacher from Mississippi, at a Halloween Party in Georgetown. It was love at first sight. John and Edith married the following Summer, on July 13th, 1968. Once he was married, and had started a family, he was ready to stay put. He quit his job at American Express and went back to A.U to get his PhD in Latin American Studies and International Relations. He had a scholarship and an assistantship to pay for classes, but to help pay the day to day bills, John moonlighted in several capacities. He substitute taught at his wife’s school and several others in Fairfax county. Because it was his specialty, he was asked to start the very first English as a Second Language program in Fairfax County, at Annandale High School. The pilot program was much needed, and hugely successful. John had found his calling.
In 1974, the PhD (which only needed the dissertation to be completed) was abandoned for full time work at Annandale high school. John started teaching in classes where ever he was needed. He taught English Language Skills, English Literature, and History. He loved working with high school kids. He has described these years as the most important years of his life. When he was finally assigned to teach English Literature classes to English speaking students, he realized he was doing exactly what he wanted to do with his life. His classes were always spirited. He had a passion for literature that made everyone want to sit up and learn. His favorite novels to teach ran the gamut from “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee to “The King must Die” by Mary Renault. His deep Bass voice could be heard from the hallways, as he recited poetry to the students, and schooled them in Shakespeare Sonnets and his favorite John Dunn masterpieces. John loved to teach. He was a master at it. A little bit later, he discovered his joy in teaching film studies, as well. John was a high school teacher for 23 years at Annandale highschool. It was his life’s work. He retired in 1999.
During John’s entire career in teaching, his wife, Edith, taught Art in the Fairfax County Public School System. Together, during the summers they had off, they traveled with their two children all over the country in a Volkswagon pop up camper. When the kids were old enough, they camped across Europe together. Everything was on a shoestring budget, but it was all a great adventure. Because of his wife’s artistic leanings, John began to take an interest in more creative outlets. He wrote short stories, developed photography in his basement dark room, learned to throw pottery on the wheel, and then discovered a deep love of woodturning on the lathe.
All of these passions were pursued after his retirement from teaching. John once more, began to travel the world. He returned to his childhood home in India, visited Egypt on a cruise, went on an around the world trip with his wife, and rediscovered Europe, many times over. He was able to create art, and was passionate about singing Bass in his church choir at Rock Spring Congregational Church in Arlington. His final years were spent enjoying time with his wife, his two children and his two grandchildren who loved him very much.
John is survived by his wife, Edith, his daughter Natalie, (married to Kevin Campbell from Fremont, California), his son David (married to Caroline in Charlottesville, VA), his two grandchildren, Margaret and Conrad and John’s younger brother Conrad. Services will be held on Saturday, August 28th at 11 AM at Rock Spring Congregational Church.
Memorial contributions can be made toward the P.E.T. project -- an organization which John spent years promoting. This non-profit helps amputees obtain special wheelchairs in third world countries. www.petflorida.org
