Althea Hein passed away on October 11, 2024, at the age of 93. She was born and raised in Monticello, Iowa. Due to the loss of her father at an early age, Althea, her brother Duane, her sister Janet, and mother Edna all contributed to the family income. For Althea this included manually setting up bowling pins at the Bowling Alley as a child. In her teen years, while attending school she worked before, after, and between classes at a local restaurant. As a young adult, she worked at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids. She was then trained as a Lab Technician and later worked at the Ames Atomic Research Center, Mary Greeley Hospital, and Central Community Hospital in Elkader, Iowa.
Althea’s greatest work was in her roles as wife, mother, and homemaker. She and Dale were married September 4, 1955. Throughout her life Althea was a tremendous support to Dale. During the early years of Dale’s veterinarian practice in Elkader, she functioned as a part-time Administrative Assistant, managing clients who stopped by the house and called on the phone, coordinating vet appointments, while mothering three young boys, Tom, Gary, and Carl. Althea and Dale were ultimately married for sixty-nine years as they mutually loved and served each other from beginning to end: from the time of being high school sweethearts until the end when their aged hearts were still sweet for one another.
Althea was the primary organizer of family activities including weekend trips to the horse races, school sports, and Cub Scouts. She was a tremendous host who provided sandwiches, fried chicken, potato salad, and other food needed for family and community meals.
Althea was not only a mother to three boys – she cared for a whole neighborhood. She had a unique role as general manager over numerous games and events held on the family property and inside the Hein home. Whiffle ball games on Hein Field, Football games in Hein Stadium, Kick the Can around the perimeter of the house, Winter Olympic games down and around the steep hill, and a host of other activities were nightly activities from spring through fall. Althea only had a few rules that she enforced: no swearing, no hard balls, and no one excluded.
After the boys grew up, she stepped in as Head Groomer at the racetrack when Dale raced his trotters, and she was always the first to celebrate with him in the winner’s circle.
For the last thirty years Althea and Dale have been leaders at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Elkader. Althea was involved in ministry with AWANA Children’s ministry and the Sew Blessed Group that has provided pillowcases, dresses, and quilts for children and adults in distressed situations in the United States and in Haiti. Most important, however, is that Althea and her family are confident of her place in heaven, not because of her church involvement, good works or generosity, but through her personal faith in Jesus who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” (John 11:25).
Althea leaves behind her husband, Dale; her children, Tom, Gary, and Carl; her daughters-in-law, Kathleen, Susan, and Michelle; her grandchildren, Michael (Brooke), David (Meredith), Justin (Brianna), Rebecca (Max), Levi, Garrett (Rachel); and her great grand-children, Griffin and Charlie, along with many extended family members and friends.
A visitation service will be held at Grace Evangelical Free Church, Building 27802 IA-13, near Elkader, on Monday, October 21, from 4 – 7 pm.
A funeral service for Althea will be held at Grace Evangelical Free Church, Building 27802 IA-13, Tuesday, October 22, at 10:30 am with lunch at 11:30.
A graveside service will be held in Monticello at Oakwood Cemetery at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, October 22.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elkader is assisting the family.