Gayle R. Heitman
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Gayle R. Heitman, formerly of Coleridge, died March 26, 2007 at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Visitation and rosary were held March 30, 2007 with Mass of Christian Burial following at Blessed Sacrament Church with Fr. Tom Hill, USMC Chaplin officiating. Burial was in Twentynine Palms Cemetery, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Music was provided by family friend Glen Hernandez and pallbearers were family members.
Gayle was born Sept. 10, 1938 at Coleridge to Henry and Elsie (Post) Heitman. After graduation from Coleridge High School, he joined the Marine Corps in 1956. In 1963 he married Philomena Coots of Karachi, Pakistan at the finish of his tour of duty.
In 1984 he retired from the Marine Corps. he then worked for a tour bus service for the next 10 years. He then volunteered as a bus driver for the base, driving troops from the base as they were being deployed and then returning to the base.
He is survived by his wife, Philomena, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; one son, David and friend Mary Weed, Detroit, Mich.; one daughter and son-in-law Ayesha and James Niece, Hemet, Calif.; 2 grandsons, Gregory and Andrew, Hemet, Calif.; one sister, Sue Yerger, Coleridge; one half-brother, Don Heitman, Coleridge; 3 half-sisters, Velma Nordby and Leona Hansen, Coleridge, and Winnie Janssen, Randolph.
He was preceded in death by his parents; 2 brothers, John and Claire; 2 half-brothers, Henry Jr., and Lyle; and 1 half-sister, Alice Kunzman.