Peggy E. Hein

Peg, a fifth-generation Texan, was born September 12, 1927 in Plainview Texas to Ruby Smelser and Knox Gillett. She lived with her loving grandparents, the Rev. J.R. Smelser and Exa Texannna Matsler of Cherokee Texas until she was ten years old. The Smelsers and Matslers were early pioneers in Texas and Peggy shared many colorful stories from her early childhood about the one room schoolhouse she attended and the Methodist camp meetings by the river.

When her mother Ruby married Harry A. Erickson, Peg moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota and legally became Peggy Erickson. Harry was a loving stepdad and taught Peggy how to ice skate, fish, and love the lakes of the north woods. After high school, she enrolled at the University of Minnesota and graduated with a degree in liberal arts.

While at the university, she met Marvin Gabel Hein, a former U.S. Navy man and end player on the U. of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. They married May 20, 1950 and shortly after moved to Iowa where their daughter, Kathryn Alexis Hein, was born in 1952.

During the 32 years she and Marv lived in Des Moines, Peggy served on numerous boards and was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She served as president of the Junior League of Des Moines from 1967-1968.

In 1983, Peg and Marv moved to Lakeway, Texas and started a wholesale gift company. The product line included several bestselling cookbooks written by Peg.

After the Heins sold their business in 1990, they both volunteered their time to the initiative to build the Park of the City of Lakeway on the shores of Lake Travis. Peg worked on the bond election to purchase land for the park, and she and Marv helped found Friends of the Park as well as Trees for Lakeway.

Because of their efforts, they were named Volunteers of the Year by the City of Lakeway. Peg and Marv also received the Lakeway Civic Corporation Meritorious Service Award, and the Texas Community Forestry Award for Outstanding Citizens of the Year.

A lifelong reader and learner, Peg also enjoyed travel with Marv and playing duplicate bridge. The couple moved to Longhorn Village in 2011. After Marvin’s death in 2012, Peg continued to play “serious” bridge weekly, listen to multiple books per week, and enjoy her many wonderful friends at Longhorn.

Peggy always cherished the frequent family gatherings around her over the years with her daughter Kathryn Hein Lewis, son in law Peter Lewis, grandson Nicholas Lewis, granddaughter Laura Cramer Worrel (Ethan) and great-grandchildren Sammy and Eva. All survive her.

A memorial service for Peg will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Luke’s on the Lake Episcopal Church.