Inge Gerda Heins

Inge Gerda Heins VIRGINIA BEACH - Inge Gerda Heins, 76, passed away March 3, 2009, after a lengthy illness. She was born Aug. 16, 1932, in Frankenberg, Germany (formerly East Germany) to the late JoHanne Gertrude Bach and Karl Paul Striegler of Frankenberg, a small mining community in the mountains of East Germany. Despite growing up during World War II, memories of her childhood were not only filled with hiding in bomb shelters and living off rations - her fondest memories were of fun and the laughter of growing up with her brothers and sisters. As Communism settled over the area, at the age of 15, Inge snuck out of her hometown to make her way to "unoccupied territory." She eventually settled in Oxstedt, a small farming community located in northwestern Germany. There she met up with her older sister, Hildegard and married Wilfried Karl Heins. In 1955, Inge and her husband left Germany with one suitcase containing all of their possessions and settled in Long Island, N.Y., with the hopes of creating a better life for their family. Working numerous odd jobs including landscaping, painting, office cleaning, etc., the couple diligently worked to learn the English language. They were extremely proud to become U.S. citizens in 1964. The couple settled in Huntington, Long Island, N.Y., where they were active members and officers of St. Peters Lutheran Church, the Seagull Chapter of the National Campers & Hikers Association (NCHA), the Huntington Liederkranz German Society and the German Steuben Society. In 1993, the couple retired to Virginia Beach where family and friends remained the focus of their lives. Known as "Oma" to all, Inge is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Hans and Patricia Heins of Augusta, Maine; daughters, Linda and Christa Heins of Virginia Beach; daughter and son-in-law, Hildy and Nick Boardman of Virginia Beach; grandson and wife, Christopher and Jessica Heins; grandsons, Noah and Kyle Boardman of Virginia Beach; great-grandson, Harrison Heins; a remaining brother, Klaus Striegler of Midlum, Germany; and numerous extended family residing in Germany. Inge was predeceased by her husband, Wilfried Heins, who passed in 2005 after a 2-year battle with pancreatic cancer; her sisters, Ruth Heume and Hildegard Buck; and her brother, Horst Streigler. The family will receive friends in H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, Saturday from 7 to 8 p.m. A graveside service will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. in Princess Anne Memorial Park, located on Great Neck Road in Virginia Beach. The family wishes to acknowledge the assistance and support provided by Betty Lou Myers and the nurses, aides, delivery/drivers and other services providers of Sentara Hospice Caregivers. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.hdoliver.com.