Gary Elden Heinke

Gary Elden Heinke, 85, of Puyallup, Washington, passed away suddenly at home on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

Gary was born on October 6, 1940, in Salem, Oregon, to Glen Elden Heinke and Louise Ethel Piper. He spent most of his early years in Carlton, Oregon, where he learned the value of hard work at a young age—picking crops from surrounding farms, collecting bottles, and doing whatever was needed.. That work ethic defined his life. Gary worked tirelessly, often 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, right up until a year before his passing.

At just 17 years old, Gary joined the U.S. Navy in 1957 in San Diego, California. He served aboard the USS Oriskany as a broiler man during the Vietnam era. He often said that his time in the Navy was the best period of his life and regretted leaving the service.

After his military service, Gary was self-employed for most of his life. He ran a painting business, owned an auto body shop rebuilding salvaged vehicles, worked as a general contractor, and later remodeled homes. A true master of all trades, Gary could fix almost anything—and if something broke, he always found a way through it. He had a running list of inventions he wanted to build, confident he could improve just about everything.

Gary married Shirley Heinke on May 30, 1964. They lived in California during his naval service before moving to Tacoma, Washington, and eventually planting roots in Puyallup, where they raised their children until 1989. Gary later married Karen Haight on February 5, 1999. They lived in Tumwater for several years before returning to Puyallup, where Gary spent the remainder of his life.

Gary loved the outdoors and adventure. He enjoyed hunting—often getting his vehicle stuck but always managing to get himself out—fishing on the ocean from his boat (which occasionally broke down, yet somehow always made it back to shore), and gold mining in Alaska. He looked forward to retirement, eager to do more of the things he loved. He also enjoyed his time at the casino, always convinced the big win was just around the corner.

Larger than life, Gary was a fearless risk-taker with a feisty spirit and a twisted sense of humor. The hardest-working man you could ever meet, he was also famously stubborn and that same stubborn streak gave him the grit to push through anything. He was known for his big, strong hands, and when he hugged you, he held on tight, making it hard to let go. When you could pull him away from work, he was a joy to be with, always ready to share stories from his many adventures. Though he worked long days, he cherished time with his family and they cherished each moment with him. He loved his family, especially the little ones, and had a special fondness for dogs and cats.

To those who knew him best, Gary was a hero—irreplaceable, one of a kind, and already missed beyond words.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Patricia L. Madden; and his stepdaughter, Katy Hadfield (Jim).

He is survived by his wife, Karen Heinke; his children, Gary Heinke Jr. (Denise) and Kathleen Marlatt (Edward); and his stepdaughters, Diane Olander, Tammy Beaver, Jessica Means, and Alea Elliott. He is also survived by his brothers, Robert Heinke (Sondra, deceased) and John Cole (Leanne), and his sister, Deborah Rupp (Mike).

Gary was a proud grandfather to 4 grandchildren: Jacob Engelbert (Hailee), Madison Lord (Tory), Ryan Marlatt (Courtney), Kyle Marlatt (Shala), Bailey Heinke, Blain Heinke, and 10 step grandchildren: Chris Clark, Curtis Holdbrook (Donna), Katrina D’Andrea, Ronnie Beaver, Ethan Hadfield, Ellanor Elliott, Holiday Elliott, and Eddie Elliott. He was also blessed with 2 great-grandchildren: Amora, Grant, and 16 step great-grandchildren: Eli, Ember, Lucas, Kaylee, Hayden, Kirsty, Marcus, Rachel, Veronica, Melissa, Daylee, Edith, Addie, Mylie, Easton, and Angel.