Leon Heffelfinger

Leon Bane â??Jimâ? Heffelfinger, 88, died Friday, May 14, 2010 at Palliative CareCenter & Hospice of Catawba Valley. Born March 19, 1922 in Philadelphia, PA., he was the only child of the late Levi Brindle & Marion Clements Bane Heffelfinger. Leon (better known as Jim, Pop, Dad & Granddaddy to his family and friends) enlisted in the US Navy at the beginning of WWII and was in the 7th amphibious fleet. He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN and St. Ambrose College in Davenport, IA. At the end of the war he married â??Betteâ? Rowe. He opened a photography studio called â??Photography by Heffelfingerâ?, specializing in weddings, portraits and commercial assignments. Later he worked for Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Florida in the Photography & Graphic Arts Department. His last job was as a photographer for the St. Lucie County Historical Society in Florida. He served many years as an elder in his local church & was a man of strong faith. He was a beloved husband, father, grand-father and great grand-father. Jim encouraged and exhorted his children & grandchildren to love Jesus and live in accordance with the Scriptures. His wife of 61 years, Helen Elizabeth (Bette) Rowe Heffelfinger; three sons, Kim & Patti Heffelfinger of Jensen Beach, Florida, Clyde & Marcia Heffelfinger of Ft. Pierce, Fl., Karl & Lucy Heffelfinger of Newton; 9 grand-children, Elizabeth & husband Tim Williams, Lisa & husband Tim Carbaugh, Laurel Brown, Levi & wife Connie Heffelfinger, David & wife Jen Heffelfinger, Amanda Heffelfinger, Richard Heffelfinger & Jonathan Heffelfinger & Russell Counts and 10 great grand-children survive him. The funeral will be 4:00 p.m. Monday, May 17, 2010 at St. Paulâ??s Reformed Church with The Rev. Dr., Stephen Disher officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paulâ??s Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior from 3-4:00 Monday, in the fellowship hall at the church. Pallbearers will be grandsons. Memorials may be made to Palliative CareCenter & Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658 (or) St. Lucie County Historical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 578, Fort Pierce, Florida 34954-0578. Condolence messages may be sent to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. The Heffelfinger family has entrusted arrangements to Jenkins Funeral Home & Cremations in Newton.