Anton “Tony” Robert Heintz, 90, longtime Prosser resident, passed away on March 13, 2018.
Tony was born on December 10, 1927 in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Anselm and Christina (Gese) Heintz. The family moved to Prosser in 1938, and Tony graduated from Prosser High School with the Class of 1946. He joined the U.S. Army later that year and was stationed in Japan until his honorable discharge in 1948. While in Japan, Tony played shortstop for a regimental baseball team touring Japan to provide entertainment for military personnel.
Tony married Joyce Marie Wilson in Prosser on October 22, 1949. That same year, he began working for a Standard Oil Distributor and later purchased the company, operating it as ARH Distributors, Inc. until his retirement in 1990. Tony always had a side-line business going, including owning and operating South State Lumber, the Town Pump Service Station, and farming 40 acres of currants and apples. In the 1970s, he started a greenhouse operation where he used cuttings from the WSU Experiment Station to grow some of the first wine grape plants in the state. He sold these plants to local farmers, and these plants became part of the first wine vineyards in the Yakima Valley.
Tony was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, United Good Neighbors, and Jaycees. After retiring, Tony and Joyce enjoyed many years traveling across the United States and Canada. Once their years of traveling were complete, they spent their winters in warm Arizona, coming home to Prosser to enjoy the rest of the seasons.
Tony is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years, Joyce of Prosser; six children: Tonia Graham (Scott) of Pasco, Jodi Obradovich (Tony) of Tigard, OR, Trudi Haynes (Jim) of Peoria, AZ, Jeff Heintz (Tina) of Richland, Tom Heintz of Prosser, and Jill Koenig (John) of Prosser; thirteen grandchildren: Logan, Taylor, Nick, Clare, Rebekah, Jamie, Tyler, Samantha, Thane, Kyle, Jordan, Ryan and Shelley; nine great-grandchildren: Lucy, Luke, Lily, Anthony, Kylee, Kason, Kendralyn, Keagan, and Kason; his brother, Raymond (Kathie) Heintz of Everett; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his son, Thad Heintz; grandson, Derek Heintz; brothers: Joe, Johnny, Leo, Charlie, and Cletus Heintz; and sisters: Betty Theilen, Marie McClure, and Agnes Heintz.
Recitation of the Rosary will begin at 10:00 on Tuesday, March 27th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 am. Concluding services will follow in the Prosser Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church Prosser, WA. You may leave a message for the family at www.Prosserfuneralhome.com