Sally Ann Hein, surrounded by her family, passed away peacefully at the age of
88 on February 11, 2025, in Pleasant Hill, CA. She was deeply loved by her family and
all who were blessed to know her.

Born on April 18, 1936, in Berkeley, CA, to Edward and Nancy (Lowe) Schmidt,
Sally Ann attended Berkeley schools and graduated from Berkeley High School. While
Sally Ann was an only child, she grew up with many first cousins nearby who were like
brothers and sisters to her. She often would recount stories of the many family
gatherings that were so exciting to her growing up.

Sally Ann was an accomplished pianist. She studied classical piano for many
years and had considered becoming a concert pianist before meeting and falling in love
with a very handsome US Marine Corps Staff Sergeant back from WWII and Korea,
Howard Hein.

Sally Ann and Howard married in December 1954 and settled in Albany, CA for
46 years. Together they had six children: Shirley, Connie, Ron, Tom, Doug, and
Debbie. They worked to instill in them the values of kindness, resilience, and a deep-
rooted faith. They also had a lot of fun together: camping, going to Disneyland and just
being together as a family.

Sally Ann believed in service. She started serving when she was about 8 and
went around with her wagon to collect rubber for the war effort during WWII. She was a
Camp Fire Girl leader, Cub Scout leader, Sunday School/Vacation Bible School teacher,
and she taught English to a young man from Vietnam. In addition, she helped on
countless field trips for her kids, was a room parent many times over, and much more.

Sally Ann began sharing her musical talent with the Albany School District in the
1980’s. She played for the choir at Albany Middle School, was an accompanist for
Albany High School, and later volunteered at Marin Elementary School, where she was
known as “Grandma Sally.” She delighted in running into students at the local grocery
store or on Solano Avenue and hearing kids announce, “That’s Grandma Sally!” – she
became a local celebrity.

Sally Ann was a member and pianist for Grace Lutheran Church, El Cerrito, for
many years. She was also the accompanist for a Christian youth singing group, “1 st
Corinthians 13”, which she loved. She is the reason that several of her grandkids are
musicians today, and in recent years, she joined them in playing music for family
gatherings and for several churches. Her passion for music brought joy to countless
individuals, through it, she expressed her faith and devotion.

As a grandmother to 14 and a great-grandmother to 11, Sally Ann cherished
every moment spent with them. Her home was a gathering place filled with laughter,
warmth, and music. She took immense pride in each of her grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, celebrating their achievements and milestones with joy – they were all
her “kids.” She treasured any gifts made by her kids, from scribbles on paper to
Christmas wreaths made of pasta, and she proudly displayed them prominently for
years.

Sally Ann was a remarkable woman whose love, strength, and unwavering faith
shaped the lives of her family and friends. She created close to 100 photo albums with
commentary as well as books of poems and memoirs. Her stories, laughter and
infectious smile will be deeply missed, but her legacy of love and faith will forever
remain in our hearts.

She is survived by her six children, 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren,
spouses and significant others, as well as countless other family and friends whose
lives she touched. Sally Ann was predeceased by her husband, Howard.

A celebration of Sally Ann’s life will be held on Sunday, March 30th at 1:00 pm at
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 3051 Putnam Blvd, in Pleasant Hill, CA. In lieu of flowers,
she would be honored by contributions in her name to World Vision or Hospice of the
East Bay.

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