Rae Nita Heintzelman

Rae Nita Heintzelman, age 95, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018 in Tecumseh.  She was born June 24, 1922 in Tecumseh, Mich. to John and Hildegard (Mueller) Larson.  She graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1940 and the University of Michigan as a member of Scroll honorary society in 1944.

She taught dancing before, during and after attending the university in Tecumseh, Ann Arbor, Adrian, Jackson, Manchester and Stockbridge.

On September 5, 1953 she married Elmer Heintzelman in Dearborn, Mich., where Rev. Edward Green, formerly at St. Peter’s Tecumseh, performed the ceremony.

They made their home in Hollywood, Calif., where Elmer was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Rae taught dance in Hollywood and Beverly Hills before joining the Los Angeles City Schools system.  She taught in secondary schools until she taught her last seven years at Marlton School for the Deaf at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Elmer and Rae enjoyed golf, tennis, cycling and entertaining at pool parties. Rae was also active in folk and line dancing and her lifelong love of bridge.

After Elmer’s death in 1997 she summered in Tecumseh until she became a permanent resident.

She traveled many times to Europe where she had relatives and friends and to Hawaii to visit her dear friend and college roommate.

After returning to Tecumseh she was a member of Friends of the Library, the Friends of the Tecumseh Center for the Arts, the Tecumseh High School Alumni Association Commit-tee, St. John’s bell choir and a fan of the Adrian Symphony. Rae was inducted into the Tecumseh High School Alumni Wall of Fame in 2017.

Her survivors are her daughter, Heide (Ron) Eng of Camarillo, Calif., grandsons, Kieran (Natasha) Malone of Sacramento, Calif., and Casey Malone of Santa Barbara, Calif., sister-in-law, Rosemary Larsen, nine nieces and ten nephews and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Jack, sister, Lenore O’Jibway and three nephews, one niece, and one grandniece.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the care of the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes. Condolences may be made to the family at www.handlerfuneralhomes.com.

 

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Tecumseh Herald

 

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