Edward Joseph Heinhold

Edward J. Heinhold, 82, of Rockville, MD, died on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at home.
He leaves his wife of 50 years, Barbara (Barnard) Heinhold, as well as four daughters, Catherine Heinhold, of Washington, DC, Alison (Peter) Melley of Gaithersburg, MD, Noelle (Michael) Fell of Annapolis, MD, and Meg Notaro. He was Opa to Sara, Liam, Aidan, Kevin, and Patrick Melley. He is also survived by his siblings Rosemarie (Clem) Quinlan, of Massapequa, NY, and James (Florence) Heinhold, of New Bern, NC.
Born July 18, 1937 in New York, New York, Ed was the son of Kurt Joseph and Bridget Ann (Geatons) Heinhold. He grew up on Long Island, and in his early years helped in the family butcher shop/grocery store, the Lawrence Avenue Market. After graduating from Brooklyn Preparatory High School in 1954, he attended the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn and received a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree in 1960 and a Master of Science of Chemical Engineering degree in 1963. He then went to work as a chemical engineer at DuPont, where he would spend his entire career. After completing his Master of Business Administration degree at Widener University in 1978, he worked as a business analyst.
Ed met Barbara at a CCD (religious education) teachers’ conference in Darlington, New Jersey in 1969, and they married later that year in Camden, NJ. They lived in Alloway, NJ until 1975, when they moved to Wilmington, Delaware. Edward and Barbara retired to State College, Pennsylvania in 1997 and then moved to Maryland in 2007 to be closer to family.
Ed had a passion for his Catholic faith and for science, especially astronomy and the natural world. He was an active volunteer in his local parishes serving variously as a CCD teacher, Eucharistic Minister, lector, minister to the homebound, RCIA Director, and parish finance council member at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Woodstown, NJ, St. Mary Magdalen in Wilmington, DE, the Noonday Mass community in downtown Wilmington, Good Shepherd Catholic Church in State College, PA, and St. Rose of Lima, in Gaithersburg (where he also managed the cemetery). He served as the vice-chairman for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Commission on the Laity, and along with Barbara received the Prince Gallitzin Cross Award in 2002 in recognition of service to the church and community.
A lifelong amateur astronomer known for waking his young daughters in the middle of the night to view a lunar eclipse, Ed bought himself a computerized telescope with a 10-inch reflector as a retirement gift. Soon, he was active in the Central Pennsylvania Observers, organizing events for the public to go stargazing at a local state park. The telescope also made an appearance each Halloween at the bottom of the driveway so that trick-or-treaters could take a peek at the moon.
Also during retirement, Ed volunteered with the Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) clinic in State College where he began the Medication Assistance Program, which helps people in need apply for free medications from pharmaceutical companies. In 2005, CVIM named Ed Volunteer of the Year and a year later the Centre Council County for Human Services also recognized his leadership in community service.
Ed was deeply devoted to his wife Barbara, always making her feel loved and accepted. His love for his daughters knew no bounds. He made sure that they knew they could be and do anything they aspired to in life and supported them in their efforts. He was known to family and friends as a good listener and a humble man, who nevertheless enjoyed debating such topics as theology, philosophy, and the English language.
Due to current health restrictions, a private Mass of Christian Burial and interment will be held at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, MD on Friday, April 17. A larger memorial service will be held once restrictions are lifted. In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in Ed’s memory, please consider JSSA Hospice at jssa.org/hospice or St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church at strose-parish.org.