Duane T. Heineman

Duane T. Heineman

NORTH HORNELL – Duane T. Heineman, 88, formerly of Elmwood Avenue, left this world on Friday (July 19, 2024) after a full and happy life of professional accomplishment, family, community service, and travel.

He was born in Buffalo, NY on Oct. 29, 1935 and grew up in nearby Springbrook, NY with his parents, Earl and Della Heineman and his older brother, Bruce and younger sister, Sharon.  Duane was a strong student, graduating from East Aurora High School in 1953 and Cornell University with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree in 1958.  There he was a proud member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and met his loving wife, Sarah Stack of Medford, MA and they were married in the summer of 1958.  After a brief but memorable stint in El Paso, TX during Duane’s service in the Army, they made Springbrook, NY their home until 1978.  Their family grew steadily with sons, Jeff (1959), Jim (1960), Bill (1965), and daughter, Susan (1969), for a time living with each set of grandparents in the two houses next door.

Duane began a long and accomplished career with the NY State Department of Transportation (DOT) in 1959, rising from the ranks of the planning and design departments—where he played a significant role in the design of the Aurora Expressway—to senior management in the DOT office in Buffalo, NY. He also taught surveying at Erie Community College during the 1960s.  In 1978 he was appointed Regional Director of the DOT office in Hornell, NY and led many important projects including construction of the Corning Bypass; he retired in 1993.

Duane was a dedicated member of the Elma United Methodist Church in Elma, NY and later the Spencer United Methodist Church and Hornell United Methodist Church in Hornell.  He also served on the board, and was Chairman, of the Maple City Savings Bank, FSB and was President of Hornell Rotary Club.  He served on the board, and as Executive Director, of the Bethesda Foundation and served on the board of Kids Café. He was also a driver for Faith in Action in Hornell.

The Heineman Family’s early lives were full of birthday parties, snowy Christmas’ and regular travel around the United States including the annual Cornell Homecoming Weekend.  Eventually, Sarah and Duane saw all four kids off to college, married off three and eventually welcomed eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren into the family.  After retirement, they engaged in many overseas trips to Europe, Russia, Canada, Turkey, and Morocco.  Duane enjoyed playing golf and was an avid fan of Cornell and Buffalo sports teams and had season tickets to the Buffalo Bills games for decades.  Duane loved his homes, pets, vegetable gardens, and puttering around his yard.  A highlight of almost every summer was family get togethers in the Adirondack Mountains with dear Cornell friends Ruth and Fred Ehrlich and their family.  Duane’s family and friends will always remember his kindness, loyalty, work ethic, level-headedness, commitment to doing the job well, and his love for all of us.

He is lovingly survived by his sister, Sharon (husband, Nick) Lazarus; sons, Jeff (companion, Amy), Jim (companion, Ivy), William (wife, Linda); daughter, Susan (husband, Tom) Stanko; eight grandchildren, Cristopher James, Kelsey, Louis, Tyler, Joanna, Kate, Madeline and Emily; three great-grandchildren, Emeri, JR and Cameron; as well as multiple nieces, nephews and cousins.

Duane was predeceased by his parents, Earl P. and Della (Becker) Heineman; his loving wife of 65 years, Sarah (Stack) Heineman; and his brother, Bruce Heineman.

There will be no calling hours. Relatives and friends are invited to join his family at the Webbs Crossing Bible Church (the former United Methodist Church), 7528 North Main St., Ext. where a funeral service will take place in his memory at 10 a.m. MONDAY (AUG. 19, 2024). Inurnment will be in Rural Cemetery, Hornell.

A CELEBRATION OF DUANE’S LIFE WILL FOLLOW AT 11:30 A.M. AT THE MAIN PLACE, 251 MAIN ST., HORNELL

In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in his memory to the Bethesda Foundation, 396 Cleveland Ave., Hornell, NY 14843. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the church.

The Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home, 285 Main St., Hornell is honored to assist Duane’s family with the arrangements.

Online condolences or remembrances of Duane are welcome below in the comment section or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home.