Corrine Rose Didier Hieb

November 15, 1924 ~ August 4, 2018

Corrine Rose Didier Hieb

Corrine slipped away peacefully August 4, 2018 following a short illness. She was born in Minnesota to Alexander and Cecelia Didier, the oldest of their six children. The Didier family moved to California where in 1943 she met and married Henry A. Hieb, a South Dakotan who had also moved to California. She always felt Henry was her Cary Grant. The newlyweds relocated to Kirkland, Washington where they both remained their entire lives.

In Kirkland they made many friends and enjoyed square dancing, bowling, playing bridge and other social activities together. After a few years Henry became partner in the local Nash dealership and eventually owned his own franchise, years later selling Jeeps and Subarus. His business was one of the first sponsors of the original Seattle Sounders. After selling the dealership in 1986 they spent much of the year at their favorite second home on Camano Island. There they hosted several large family reunions and friends and family were always welcomed. They were married 53 years.

They had 4 children and while they  attended school Corrine was actively involved with the Parent Teachers Association, even traveling to the state capitol to lobby for kindergarten classes. She passionately supported her children’s activities and was also a longtime member and fund raiser for Children’s Hospital, the Dr. H. H. Sherwood guild, receiving a lifetime service award. She was still raising funds at age 91. Corrine belonged to the Kirkland Women’s service club for nearly 50 years, often in the position of president or board member. She and her daughter, Joanne, visited their International headquarters in Washington DC where she was given a personal welcome and VIP tour in acknowledgement of her service. History was a particular interest of hers and she was a member of the Kirkland Historical Society. She had just been elected to the resident’s board at Merrill Gardens in Kirkland prior to her move to Burien. Her creativity was demonstrated throughout her life from gardening to making all kinds of crafts with family and friends as well as items for fundraising.

While in her 70s Corrine attended classes at Seattle University graduating as a Cabrini Minister. Weekly she served parishioners in nursing homes. She was a long time member of the Legion of Mary and the St. Vincent de Paul community outreach program, where among other things, she visited homeless camps into her 90s, distributing hats that she was always knitting. She was a long time parishioner of Holy Family Church in Kirkland and lately of St. Francis parish in Burien. Although family and friends were her greatest joy, Corrine lamented having outlived so many of them. Perhaps now she is enjoying a wonderful reunion of all those she had lost.

Corrine is survived by her daughter Joanne Hieb Matz, granddaughter Christine Matz and great granddaughter Mei-Ling Matz, son James Hieb, grandson Christopher Hieb and granddaughter Shelby Hieb, daughter Patty Hieb (son-in-law Hooper Havekotte), son Alan Hieb, her sister Cecelia Casper and numerous friends, nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be Friday, August 17^th at 11am at Holy Family in Kirkland with a reception to follow. A burial service will be at Kirkland Cemetery at 1:30pm where Corrine led the effort to have the existing fountain installed using the original 1900’s drawings for the cemetery. This was in honor of her husband, Henry, who passed away in 1996. They both passed away on the same day, August 4th, twenty-two years apart.

Memorial  suggestions would be to Holy Family Church in Kirkland or Children’s Hospital in Seattle.  Thank you for being a part of Corrine’s life.

“The only thing we take with us when we die is what we have given away.”