June 26, 2008

Endowment to benefit wheat research

Journal photo by Jennifer Larsen

AG STAR. Washington State University administrators join friends, family and agricultural industry leaders in honoring Ed Heinemann (center, with jacket) and his family for his dedication to the university and its programs at the 92^nd Annual Lind Field Day last week. Pictured with Heinemann are WSU Crop and Soil Science Chairman Bill Pan (left), Director of the Lind Dryland Research Station Bill Schillinger, Heinemann, his son Russ Heinemann, Dorothy (Heinemann) and Jerry Schoesler, their son Mark Schoesler and Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences Dan Bernardo.

By Jennifer Larsen

News editor

A contingent of more than 100 producers, industry leaders and guests honored Edward Heinemann at the 92^nd Annual Lind Field Day on June 19 at the Washington State University Dryland Research Station outside of Lind.

Dan Bernardo, dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS), the Department of Crop and Soil Science Chairman Bill Pan and Director of the Lind Dryland Research Station William Schillinger paid tribute to Edward and his wife, Arlene, for their longstanding dedication to WSU and its students.

It is through that commitment to the university and its programs that Edward started the process to establish two endowment funds – the Edward and Arlene Heinemann Lind Dryland Research Endowment and the Edward and Arlene Heinemann Animal Sciences Endowment.

The endowments will be funded by an estate gift of Ed’s residence on Puget Beach in Olympia, which, upon his passing, will be sold by WSU with the proceeds equally divided between the two funds.

“I tell a lot of people… don’t plan on taking it with you,” Heinemann said during the lunch program.

After graduating from Ritzville High School in 1934, Heinemann attended Washington State College, where as a senior he met Arlene, a freshman studying business administration. After Edward graduated in 1939 in animal science, they were married in 1941.

He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, and worked his way through college waiting tables, making campus milk deliveries and shoveling coal at the Livestock Pavilion.

Through his efforts to pay for a college degree, Heinemann appreciated the value of higher education, and his time in the Livestock Pavilion especially made an impact because some of his classes were held there.

Heinemann has served as president of the Seattle Cougar Club, vice president of the Alumni Board at WSU, president of the Larriot Club (now known as Block and Bridal) and was paramount in establishing the Hilltop Stables in Pullman.

He was a Lincoln County Extension agent after graduating from WSC, and he worked for 28 years as field secretary for the Washington Horse Breeder’s Association.

Heinemann has authored several educational articles as well as served as director of the Washington Horse Racing Commission, his last position before retirement. Heinemann was also a partner in a thoroughbred/Quarter horse sales business.

In addition to developing the research endowment for the Lind Dryland Station, Heinemann was a founding member of the Howard Hackedorn Scholarship for students in animal sciences.

Distributions from the Ed and Arlene Heinemann Lind Dryland Research Endowment are for use by the Lind Dryland Research Station and may be used for all WSU common expenditure objects as long as the funds are used in the performance of official duties for purposes that advance WSU’s mission.

The director or designee of the Lind Dryland Research Station will administer the fund.