Heinz R. Putz

Heinz R. Putz, 87, of Worthington, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on April 7, 2022. Born in 1934 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia, Heinz didn't just live through World War II, he thrived. As a 10-year-old, he bravely took care of his mother and two younger siblings by combing bombed out buildings for food and sellable items (see pp.153-168, Small Feet on the Run). Heinz's family was amazingly reunited in Germany after the war. In the early 1950s his entire family moved to Chicago, where he soon met and married the love of his life, Waltraud. Heinz was both a self-taught and traditionally taught machinist. In the late 1970s the family moved to Worthington, Ohio, where Heinz worked for Industrial Machinery. In the mid-1990s Heinz started his own successful CNC training business in which he remained active until the very end. He was a superb storyteller, and this helped him be very successful in delivering critical training in productivity and efficiency to the machining industry worldwide. One of Heinz's greatest joys in life was driving all over our country with Wallie (and their pet cat), discovering natural wonders, learning rich history, and meeting interesting people along the way. Heinz loved sports of all kinds and never turned down the opportunity to compete. He was an accomplished bowler, golfer, and table tennis player. He had many first-place trophies from Chicago and Central Ohio, and one from a table tennis tournament on an Atlantic Ocean liner in 1961 after 6 days of sea sickness. He even had the chance to play table tennis against Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Classic! Heinz especially enjoyed playing softball with the Worthington seniors and participating in all the wonderful activities the Griswold Center had to offer. Heinz was happy to have helped put each of his children through Ohio State University, and he was incredibly proud of the fact that each of them actually worked in the field they studied at OSU. Heinz was preceded in death by his wife Waltraud "Wallie" H. Putz, his parents, and two brothers. He is survived by his sister, Renate Starbuck; and his children, Karl Putz of Dublin, OH, Melanie Putz Brotz of Burlington, VT, Michelle Putz of Salida, CO; and grandchildren, Lauren, Nicholas, and Tommy Putz, and Jeremy and Elena Brotz. The family will hold a celebration of life in September 2022 for Heinz and Wallie. Those wishing to receive an invite can send an email to heinzandwallie@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Cat Welfare Association, www.catwelfareassoc.org.

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