Obituary of Leonard Heinz

Lennart was born July 4, 1911 in the village of Engadien, Canton Graubunden, high in the beautiful alps of Switzerland. He was born to parents, Bartholome and Anna Heinz(born Safiert) the fourth of an eventual eight children, six boys and two girls. His father worked as a carpenter, family farmer and occasional mountain climbing guide, once even acting as a guide for the Italian crown prince. Because of the large family and limited opportunities in Switzerland, during the period Leo and his two older brothers matured into adulthood, they decided to venture out and try their luck in the land of opportunity. His two brothers, Rudy & Simon, "Sam" preceded Leo taking the steamship journey to Ellis Island and then the long transcontinental rail trip out to San Francisco. Leo followed in 1928 at the age of 17.Working with his brother Sam in the bakery, Leo decided that learning to be baker was not for him. He returned to agrarian roots and began working as a dairyman for a dairy in Colma, which would later become his chosen vocation. In 1929 Leo returned briefly to Switzerland to marry and bring his bride, Elsa (born Wettstein) back to California with him. He had met Elsa while she had been working at this family's hotel in Avers-Cresta, and they continued their romance over the long distance, mainly through correspondence. Once in San Francisco they began their own family and were blessed with, first a little girl, and then 3 boys. Leo had changed careers for a few years during World War II, working in the shipyards of San Francisco, but then reverting back to dairy work at the close of the war. This was at Elsa's urging since she feared for his safety following a near fatal accident in the shipyards. Leo then began working for Hansson Dairy in Brisbane, California. Leo milked in excess of 40 cows a shift, by hand, often working two occasionally even 3 shifts, long before the advent of the milking machine. With the rapid growth of the San Francisco metropolitan area, Hansson sold the dairy in 1950 to use the land for the burgeoning urban environment. The family relocated that to Pleasanton, CA, and Leo began working for Hansen and Gieger Dairy. Gieger was himself a Swiss emigrant. They lived in Pleasanton for 16 years, and the children attended school and grew up there. They family suffered a tragedy in 1958 when their eldest son, Jimmy, was killed in an automobile accident following a high school basketball game. In 1966 once again, the Dairy was sold to make way for the encroachment of development. Leo & Elsa, along with their daughter, Sonia, once again relocated to Galt, Ca where Leo went to work for Pallandini & Sons, a dairy run by another Swiss emigrant from the Italian speaking region. Though the family had always had a small pastoral home with enough animals to provide the family with fresh eggs and meat, this time Leo was able to realize a lifelong dream, purchasing a house on 20 acres of pasture land, where he could add to his income through family ranching. Leo continued his strong work ethic, often working 2 & 3 shifts a day, 6 & 7 days a week, right up until he finally retired from dairy work completely in 1986 at the age of 75. Leo is survived by his daughter, Sonia; son, Robert and his wife, Sharen, son, William and his wife, Pam; grandsons Gary and his wife, Luisa, John and his wife Stacie, Rob; granddaughter, January; great- granddaughter, Tabitha and great-grandson, Zachary. He is also survived by his brothers Bartholome and his wife, Edith, Arthur and his wife, Lotti, Matteo and his wife; sister, Paula Fumm and her husband, still residing in Switzerland. Memorial services will be held at the Galt Funeral Home, 702 B Street ( 209-745-2958) in Galt, CA 95632 on Friday, April 8, 2005 at 11:00 AM. There is no visitation. Donations in memoriam may be made to The Muscular Dystrophy Association (http://www.mdausa.org), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/44.cfm) or Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (www.drcrf.org).