Carleen Heinrich Daughters

Carleen has a slow infectious smile – sweetly broadening to become almost bigger than she is. A petite, but energetic and active lady, she looks as though she is waiting for the fun to begin. She was married to Father Andrew for nearly a lifetime, and their son Tad is also a member of St. Christopher’s Church. Very funny men… Carleen often seemed happy to be in the background appreciating their humor. Her life has been filled with adventure and hard work, multiple moves, happiness, contentment and deep sorrow. There is a sustaining, spiritual quality to Carleen that a modest, unassuming self can’t hide.

She was born in Roundup, Montana, 1920, the first of four children. She had two brothers (deceased) and a sister, Ruth, who spends her winters in Sun City West and summers in Denver.

Carleen’s father was a violinist, taught and owned a music store. When the Depression came, he turned it into a variety store, and her mother ran a flower shop in the back. Carleen, 10, helped at the candy counter.

When it was time for her to attend college, the family moved to Missoula in western Montana. Her father continued teaching and was involved with the orchestra there at the University of Montana.

Carleen majored in Home Economics and French, and met her future husband, Andrew, there. She graduated with honors, the highest grades of any female at the university. Andrew, in turn, had the highest grades of any male student there.

They married upon graduating, World War II had started. His father had a cattle and wheat farm outside Ritzville, Washington that he no longer could work alone. Andrew and Carleen came to help and stayed eight years. There were also horses, pigs, chicken, geese, turkeys, goats, sheep and bee hives

Andrew, whose father was a priest, also wanted to go into the ministry. He worked at two Episcopal Churches, and studied under their priests. Then Andrew took exams, became a deacon, and at age 30 was an ordained priest.

Tad was born a year after they were married, named after Andrew’s father. He lives in Sun City, as does their second son, Howard. Their fourth son, John died at age 16 in a car accident. Then there was Carl, number three son, a kindergarten teacher. He and his wife both died 15 years ago in an airplane crash.

An unusual event in the spring of 1957 gave testimony to Carleen’s strength of character. Andrew had gone to assess that winters damages at a church camp on Coeur d’Alene Lake in Idaho. The camp was inaccessible by vehicle, so Andrew was using an 8 foot pram to navigate the frigid water. He never returned, and was never found in the lake, neighboring communities, woods…, the pram was found on the beach many miles away

Missing and declared dead, Carleen held his memorial service and went back to school. Friends cared for her sons, and she came home on weekends. She was prepared to do whatever was necessary to secure the future for herself and her 4 children. Her goal was to teach “Home Ec”.

After about six weeks Father Andrew appeared at Grace Cathedral (Episcopal) in San Francisco! At the end of the service he told the priest that he thought he was also a priest. His memory slowly returned, but never about the boat on the lake and what had happened. The Church in California called his Church in Washington, bought him much needed clothes, and flew him back. Then a priest came and told Carleen that he was alive, well and coming home!

She never did teach, instead worked in churches.

That summer they moved to Berkeley (California) where Father Andrew attended seminary for a semester, and was an assistant priest at a local church. He was then called to a church in Carson City, Nevada, and Carleen stayed behind with the boys for 6 months selling the house. They spent 3 years in Nevada, but returned to Berkeley after an especially brutal winter. They served at a church near the university. Tad and Carl went to college and Howard joined the Coast Guard.

Next was a parish in Arroyo Grande, California and next a church in Salinas, California. It was there that Carleen took in a foster-daughter – Tahira Hope and hosted an exchange student from Kenya – Fanta Biarra.

After 13 years in Salinas, Andrew retired, they bought a lot in the Sacramento Delta area and built a house on stilts. They owned a 35 foot sloop and sailed on the Dutch Slough (fed by the Sacramento River). Andrew worked with a local church for several years, before retiring again.

But was that all? Nooo. In the mid 1990’s Andrew was offered a ¼ time job in Stayton, Oregon, so they moved again. There they both actively participated in a chapel where each person had a mission.

While visiting her brother in Sun City, they bought a house where they could spend winters. In 2002 they decided to live here full-time. They came to St. Christopher’s where Andrew conducted the Wednesday healing services. Carleen was a member of the choir and Christopher Singers for many years.

Carleen and her husband joined the Sun City Players, and she performed in their musicals for several years. She also joined the Readers Theatrical Group, and was an active participant. A true Westerner and Thespian, she has always acted in the little theatre where ever she lived. Carleen was the star of a play in the first grade.

Carleen lost her husband, Andrew, in 2011, after 69 years of marriage.

Carleen is survived by a sister, 2 sons, 9 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

All her life Carleen was an avid cook – she particularly liked Oriental cooking – reading and singing. She was active in church choirs and in the Cursillo movement. In Sun City she was in 3 musical productions. She was a remarkable wife, mother, homemaker and individual. She will be missed.