THELMA RUTH AMSTUTZ HEINE, 101, of Fort Wayne passed away Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, at the Towne House, Fort Wayne, Ind. Born March 29, 1911 a daughter of Noah and Melvina (Knight) Amstutz in Harlan, Ind. She graduated from Harlan High School in 1929. She worked for Meyer Bros. Drug Company, and eventually became Personnel Director of that company. In June of 1948, she married Harold L. Heine, President of Meyer Bros. Drug Company. He preceded her in death in 1986. For almost 50 years, she managed the gift shop at the Lutheran Hospital. Because of the efforts of the Lutheran Hospital Auxiliary volunteers who manned the gift shop, more than five million dollars has been raised for the Hospital. During her lifetime, she was a Worthy Matron of the Harlan Order of Eastern Star and a member of the Fort Wayne Women's Club and Delta Theta Chi Sorority. She also served as President of the Lutheran Health Services Society, Inc. She was named the Lutheran Hospital Woman of the Year, and in 1986 was presented with the American Hospital Association Award for Volunteer Excellence. She was given the C.A.R.E. Award for Highest Quality of Volunteerism in 1990. In 2006, the Lutheran Foundation named her the recipient of the Maxine Rippe Award for furthering the "exempt charitable objectives of the Lutheran Foundation through her diligent and faithful service as a volunteer." From 2004 through 2010, she was a regular contributor to the Equipping the Saints for Ministry campaign at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. A member of Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, she was an initial Board Member of the Trinity English Lutheran Church Foundation. She is survived by great-nephews , Rick (Prudy) Amstutz and Blair (Suzie) Amstutz of New Mexico; great-niece, Dana (Paul) Ingholt of Virginia; and nephews, Bruce (Julie) Heine and Steve Heine both of New Haven, Ind. She was the youngest of five children and was preceded in death by her sisters, Mae and Jeanette; and brothers, Parnell and Kenneth. Memorial service is 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, 2012 at Krauss Chapel at Trinity English Lutheran Church, 405 West Wayne Street, Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior. Private burial in Concordia Cemetery Gardens, Fort Wayne. Memorials may be made to Trinity English Lutheran Church and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home. Arrangements by Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home, Wayne St. Chapel, 420 W. Wayne St. www.klaehnfahlmelton.com



Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on September 16, 2012 .