Ethel Marilyn Hein

Ethel Marilyn (Hassebrock) Hein was born October 3, 1927, to John Frederick William Hassebrock and Anna Margaret (nee Maxheimer) in El Paso, Illinois.

She was baptized into Christ on October 23, 1927, at St. John Lutheran Church of El Paso. On May 13, 1941, Ethel celebrated her baptismal faith through the Rite of Confirmation at Zion Lutheran Church of Chestnut, Illinois. She attended elementary school in Chestnut and graduated from high school in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois. Ethel and Frederick Charles Hein met when they were children and began dating after high school. The two were married on July 4, 1947, in Chestnut, Illinois, and were blessed with a long and loving marriage that included two children, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren (with a sixth due in September). Ethel was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother – affectionately called “GG” by her great-grandchildren. Ethel and Fred moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, where Fred attended U.S. Navy training. Upon completion of training he was assigned to the escort carrier, USS Sargent Bay. After 18 months in the Asia-Pacific theater, the Navy moved them to Bremerton, Washington, where their first daughter Paula was born. They returned to Illinois in 1950, where their second daughter Pamela was born. The family moved to California in 1951, living in Oakland and then San Lorenzo, before moving to San Jose in 1969 to the home that Ethel and Fred would reside in for the remainder of their 61 years together. Ethel was the executive secretary to the president and board chairman of TransAmerica Airlines for 20 years. After retiring in 1986, she served as a volunteer for Kaiser Hospital for ten years performing various tasks and services to help patients and staff. Ethel was graced by God with faith in Christ that was evident in so many ways as she faithfully served others, attended Bible classes, led women’s groups at church and served as Zone President of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML). She and Fred attended First Immanuel Church and then the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Cupertino.

Ethel was an avid gardener, and took great care and pride in tending to the plants and flowers that grew in her yard. She also loved to travel domestically and throughout the world. Together, she and Fred toured the United States, as well as Africa, South America, Europe, Asia, India, China and Japan. As their grandchildren were growing up, she and Fred took each of them on a summer trip throughout the United States, camping along the way in their 5th wheel trailer.

Most of all, Ethel valued the time spent with her family and friends making memories. Occasions like holidays or milestone anniversaries and birthdays were always a welcome excuse for celebrating together. But equally valued were the smaller conversations and special one-to-one time that she devoted to each of her children and grandchildren.

On May 8, 2015, Ethel suffered a stroke in her sleep. She passed away on May 13, 2015 at age 87, with her daughter Paula and her niece Karen Stoll at her side.

Ethel is loved and remembered by her daughter, Paula Hein; son-in-law John Lueck; and her three grandchildren and their families: Peter (Anne) Lueck and great-grandchildren Sarah and John of Altus, Oklahoma; Heather (Aaron) Wied and great-grandson Christopher of Baltimore, Maryland; and Jason (Carrie) Lueck and great-grandsons Ryan and Jonah of Hoover, Alabama. She is also loved and remembered by her sister, Lois Ruwe, her brother, Glen Hassebrock, and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred, on May 28, 2008; her daughter, Pamela, on February 4, 2015; six of her brothers and two sisters.

Ethel’s body will be laid to rest with Fred’s at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, from where they will both be raised by Christ and be reunited to their souls which now await the Day of Resurrection. Ethel’s family thanks all those who have shared their thoughts and prayers for our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. For those who are interested, memorials may be made to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Endowment Fund, or to the Community Outreach Ministry Endeavor, San Jose.