Kathryn Ilene Hein

Aug. 29, 1929 – Nov. 9, 2022

Kathryn Ilene Hein, 93, passed away Nov. 9, 2022, in Davenport, Wash. Born on Aug. 29,1929, she was the sixth child of eight to Charles and Hazel McCaffery. She moved from Sprague, Wash. to Davenport, Wash. as a young girl and attended school and graduated from Davenport High School in 1947(Go Gorillas!). She was an 88-year member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She helped with many fund raisers including Betty Crocker coupons to purchase the silverware in the hall.

After graduation, Ilene worked at Lincoln Electric Co-operative and Old National Bank before marrying Donald Hein on Oct. 20, 1951. Their first home was in Reardan, Wash. until they moved to Davenport in 1953. They had seven children. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and devoted her life to her children and their activities. She coached her daughter's Little League teams and was a 4-H Leader. However, time was set aside once a month with the neighborhood ladies and she was one of the founding members of the "Happy Hookers Sewing Club." It was a time to talk, mend, or sew.

Ilene worked for the Davenport School District for over 20 years and was the food service director. She would utilize the government supplies to make delicious meals. Some of her specialties were homemade dinner and cinnamon rolls, maple bars, whoopie pies, and cookies. She created dishes so no ingredients were ever wasted. She enjoyed decorating the lunchroom and made sure no one ever left hungry while catering to different food tastes. People still comment about her homemade taco and vegetable soups.

She loved all of the holidays, especially St. Patrick's Day. Her grandsons had a good reason to wear their t-shirts, "My Granny is Irish." For two years they were even in Spokane's St. Patrick's Day parade.

After retirement, she volunteered to help students with their reading and math skills. Her time was also filled following her grandsons' sporting events and walked the sidelines during football games. Then there were Gonzaga games to watch!

Using her many talents she loved to bake or make things for people as surprises. She could quickly whip up a meal to feed many. She would pack a camp stove to feed her family a warm meal as they cut wood. She would also pack picnic meals for their weekly trips to Porcupine Bay. She took meals to her children on the job and prepared food for her children's weddings. She understood the science of cooking to make everything she made delicious! Grandsons enjoyed sharing her chocolate fudge frosting cakes at their graduations and weddings.

Ilene is survived by six children: Gene (Roberta) Hein, Charley (Ginny) Hein, Tony Hein, Tim Hein, Leona (Phil) Carr, and Gerry Hein. She loved and enjoyed her three grandchildren, Benjamin Hoppes, Erich (Janelle), and Gregory (Mahta) Hein and four great-grandchildren, George, Oliver, Eamon, and Theo Hein and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ilene was preceded in death by her husband Donald Hein in 1991 and her daughter Melinda Hein in 2016 along with brothers, Leo, Edward, Gerald, Bill, and Bob McCaffery, and sisters Dorothy Rosman and Eva Spilker.

On Thurs., Nov. 17, 2022, viewing will be from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. followed by the Rosary services at 7:00 PM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Davenport, Wash. Funeral Mass will be on Fri., Nov. 18, 2022, at 11:00 AM with Father Sean Thomson, officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery, Davenport, Wash.

Memorials may be made to Foundation for Davenport Schools, Ryan Janke, PO Box 129, Davenport, Washington 99122. Fond memories and expression of sympathy may be shared at http://www.strate-funeral.com for the Hein family. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, WA is caring for the family.