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Leland Ray Hein © Fairview Funeral Home, Inc. 01-2016 Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
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March 12, 1932 - January 25, 2016
Funeral services for Leland Ray Hein, of Donna, TX, will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 28, 2016 at the Cheyenne Valley United Methodist Church with Reverend Barbara Fyffe officiating. Burial will follow in the Lone Star Cemetery. Arrangements are by Fairview Funeral Home Inc.
Leland Ray Hein was born March 12, 1932 to George and Maud Alice (Noble) Hein. His birth took place in the rock house his Grandpa Noble had built on the farm he homesteaded in what is now the Cheyenne Valley Community. At the time of Leland’s birth their address was Belva, Oklahoma. The family resided here until moving to the Fisher place. This place was homesteaded by Maud’s sister Lizzie. She and her husband, Grant built the house on the farm.
Leland attended school at Cheyenne Valley, completing the 8th grade in 1946. He was active in sports and spent many happy days with the neighborhood boys riding horses, fishing, and attending the ball games his dad arranged for the community teams. His mother often recalled one of his birthdays when he surprised her by bringing several friends home for the celebration. Since he was much younger than his brother, Kenneth, and his sister, Lavon, he often accompanied them on their dates and other social activities. He was kidded about riding in the back seat, but using his hand to turn someone’s head in the front seat when they were conversing. He helped his father with the cattle and field work. He was proud of the paint horse, Nebbie, he broke and trained as a roping horse.
In 1946, he and his parents moved to Park Hill, Oklahoma which is near Tahlequah. Leland graduated from Bagley High School in 1950. During this time his love of music became apparent and he learned to play the guitar and harmonica. The fiddle was the next instrument he mastered. His father obtained two old violins from Maggie Hein Wall, and managed to salvage enough of them to make one good fiddle. He even carved one piece to complete the work. Leland had an excellent ear for music and learned tunes from listening to the radio and from the fiddle players in the community. After high school, Leland enrolled at Northeastern State University at Tahlequah, OK. During this time, he played with the college orchestra and became concert master in the violin section. He also formed his own dance band, known as the Oklahoma Melody Boys and played in Muldrow, Muskogee, and the Tahlequah Roundup Club. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from NSU in 1954 and began teaching in Havana, Kansas. He was taken from this job for service to his country in 1956.
After returning from the service, he enrolled at Pittsburg State College, Pittsburg, Kansas and earned his Master’s Degree. He served as teacher and coach at South Haven, KS before returning to Oklahoma as Superintendent at Fargo, OK where he remained until his retirement.
Following his retirement, he returned to his fiddle and his music. He also became CLEET Certified as a security guard for a Woodward industry. In 1991, the return to their Maysville home gave him more opportunities to play music and travel. While spending the winters in south Texas, he became a part of the Texas Travelers Band. They made appearances in Mena, AR, Turkey, TX, San Marcos, TX, as well as the Rio Grande Valley. When the Travelers split up, he formed the Country Melody Band that traveled together. He enjoyed many jam sessions where travels have taken him.
On August, 1954 he and Carolyn Nicholson were married in the chapel of the Fairview Methodist Church. He encouraged her to continue her education and they taught in the same schools until retirement. They traveled many miles together with their RV’s. She was the navigator and he was the driver, visiting 47 states and all but one Canadian Province. The birth of Stephen Ray Hein on July 10, 1960 made the family complete. The family rode motorcycles together, went camping, enjoyed sports, raised cattle and took many trips. Steve was always a source of pride, especially when he accomplished so much after being confined to a wheelchair at the age of 19. Stephen predeceased his father in June of 2007. In June of 2008 Leland suffered a massive stroke while traveling in Louisiana. He and Carolyn returned briefly to Oklahoma but the decision was made to return to Texas in December of 2008. Leland became a resident of Weslaco Nursing and Rehab where he remained except for a 14 month stay at home with Carolyn. She remained his loving caregiver at all times. Leland could no longer play the fiddle but Carolyn and friends jammed weekly at the nursing home to keep his music alive. He was able to sing along to a lot of songs from memory.
Leland accepted Christ as his Savior while attending the Mutual Methodist Church. He was active in Methodist Men, Lions Club and many educational organizations relating to his occupation. After returning to Fairview in 1999, he moved his membership to the Cheyenne Valley Methodist Church.
Leland was preceded in death by his parents, son Steve, sister Lavon Huscher, and brother Kenneth Hein.
He leaves to mourn: his wife, Carolyn, daughter-in-law Carol, grandson Joshua and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
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