Robert A. Heins

Robert A. Heins, 72 of Murphysboro, died at 9:45 am Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Saturday, January 21, 2006 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church 1915 Pine St. Murphysboro, Rev. Theodore Mayes will officiate. Burial will follow at Glenn Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 pm on Friday at Crawshaw Funeral Home in Murphysboro, and from 9 to 11 am on Saturday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Church or School or to the Sally Logan Public Library in Murphysboro, and will be accepted at the funeral home and church. Robert was born in Gorham Il., on July 27, 1933 a son of the late Arthur and Mary (Schomber) Heins. He attended Gorham High School, and S.I.U.C. in high school he excelled in both basketball and baseball, and after graduating in 1951 he was offered a basketball scholarship to the University of Kentucky, but instead signed with the St. Louis baseball Cardinals. He played AAA baseball with that organization as a pitcher (earning the nickname "Bullet Bob" because of the speed of his fastball) from 1951 to 1954. After he left professional baseball he played with the Murphysboro Redwings for several years, and remained a passionate follower of the game throughout his life. He was an avid reader and enjoyed music, particularly Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash. He liked hunting, fishing in Canada and playing tennis, and was a member and past elder of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Murphysboro, and had been a Drivers License Examiner for the Illinois Secretary of State in the early 1950's. He established the Heins Insurance and Real Estate Agency in 1956, and was a Licensed Real Estate Appraiser and Broker and Licensed Insurance Broker, and continued working until shortly before his death, winning numerous awards for sales production and underwriting with Pekin Insurance. His wife and daughters worked with him in the agency and will continue his tradition of service to his customers. He married Betty J. Hellmer on August 2, 1951 in Albany, GA., she survives of Murphysboro, other survivors include; three daughters, Christine Heins and Lisa Heins, both of Murphysboro and Suzanne Heins of Kansas City, MO., one sister, Margaret Heins of St. Louis, MO., one sister-in-law, Leona Heins of Rockwood, IL., Many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and his beloved canine buddy, Charlie. He was preceded in death by his, parents, two brothers, Wilburn and Harry Heins, and three sisters, Betty Suchman, Alice Ahner, and Dorothy Rohlfing.

Robert A. Heins

July 27, 1933 - January 18, 2006