Estelle Tutt Heintschel

Estelle Heintschel, age 94, passed away on November 24, 2012. Estelle was born in Longview, Texas on September 20, 1918, the third child of James Solon Tutt and Jesse Pearl Tincher Tutt. Born deaf, Estelle overcame many obstacles in her life, including her family's negative prospects for a normal life. When she was 11 years old, her grandmother learned of the State School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas. As the family was very poor, the Red Cross provided the ticket for the train ride to Austin. For the next 10 years, Estelle was in the oral program under Miss M. Searight, where she learned to speak, read and write. After leaving school in 1940, Estelle began working in the Texas School for the Deaf laundry. It was at that time that she met Barney Heintschel, who also worked in the laundry. Estelle and Barney married on May 29, 1943 at Barney's parent's farm in Smithville, Texas. They spent their honeymoon at the now famed San Jose Motel on Congress Avenue.

In 1949, their first child, Jo Ann was born, but died shortly thereafter. In 1952, a son, Barney Morris was born, and in 1954, a daughter, Deborah Estelle was born. Estelle quit work to be a full-time mother and housewife.

Once the children were old enough, Estelle went back to work. From 1964 until 1970, she worked at the Texas School for the Deaf as a cook in one of the residential cottages. In 1970, at the urging of Barney, who had been diagnosed with colon cancer, she went to work as a File Clerk with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission in order to have a better job with higher pay. Two weeks after she started her new job, Barney passed away. She continued to work for TRC until she retired in 1984. Estelle was fortunate to have had good health for most of her life. She was an avid bowler for many years and bowled on multiple teams, in both hearing and deaf leagues. She and her companion Earl Jodie White travelled to many bowling tournaments across the US. She continued to bowl until she was 91 years old. Estelle was able to live independently until she was 92. At that time, she moved to Burnet, Texas to live with her daughter and son-in-law.

Estelle was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Winnie McCullars and Novie Cain; her brother, L.C. Tutt; husband, Barney; first child, Jo Ann; and her companion for many years, Earl "Jodie" White.

Her immediate surviving family includes son, B. Morris Heintschel (Debra Jan Hall); and daughter Deborah Heintschel Ransier (Harry Ransier, Jr.); her two grandchildren, Matthew Garrett Anderson and Dolly Joan Anderson; and her former son-in-law, George Henry Anderson.

A visitation will be held Thursday, November 29 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 2620 S. Congress Ave., Austin. A Funeral Service at 10:00 am Friday, November 30 at the same location, with Pastor Mark Seeger officiating. Burial will follow at 2:30 pm at Oakhill Cemetery in Smithville, Texas.

Pallbearers are Matthew Anderson, Jack Heintschel, Jerry Heintschel, Chris Hall, Treye Ransier and Mark Seeger. Honorary Pallbearers are Ben (Freddie) McCullars and Eddie Heintschel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Estelle to the Texas School for the Deaf Scholarship Fund/Barney Heintschel (The Barney Heintschel Memorial Scholarship Fund supports graduating seniors at Texas School for the Deaf. The scholarship is awarded to an outstanding student in Career and Technical Education in honor of Barney Heintschel, a cabinet-making instructor at TSD from 1935-1970.) and mailed to Texas School for the Deaf Cashier Office, 1102 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704, or to Jesus Lutheran Church of the Deaf, 1307 Newton Ave., Austin 78704.