Carol Heinlen, former Palouse resident, passed away May 23, 2026 at Bishop Place in Pullman. She was 90. A Memorial Service will be Saturday, June 13th, at 1:00 pm at the Palouse Federated Church. Inurnment will be at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake with her husband Ralph.

Carol Esther Beattie was born December 12, 1935 in Cleveland, Ohio to William and Esther Plagens Beattie. The family moved to East Cleveland and Carol attended Euclid High School where she graduated in 1954. She had met Ralph Heinlen while he was in trade school in Euclid for electronics repair. He later was drafted into the United State Army and was stationed in New Mexico working with the Army Signal Corps and as a radio repairman. He and Carol married on June 13, 1954 in Euclid, Ohio while he was on leave. She often said of that time in her life; “I graduated high school on Tuesday and got married on Sunday.” They immediately left for New Mexico and started their new lives together there. Following his discharge from the service, Ralph and Carol made their home in Streetsboro, Ohio where he owned and operated an electronics and TV repair store. Carol helped with the bookkeeping and also did tax preparation for private clients. She always worked secretarial jobs as well as keeping all the books and records for Ralph’s various businesses. She liked running the computer and keeping everything for the business tidy and organized.

In 1977, they moved to Lancaster, California and in 1990 to Palmdale, California. Carol worked in an insurance office and travel agency. She also was a busy mom and homemaker to their three children. She and Ralph loved to travel; often by motorhome. They also were campground hosts in Malibu, California and enjoyed meeting many celebrities over the years. They went on several cruises including a trip to Egypt and to the Panama Canal among others.

After retiring in 2000, they moved to Palouse, Washington to be closer to family. She found joy there in her friends and as treasurer of the Palouse Federated Church where they were active members. They moved to Hill-Ray Plaza in Colfax for a few years and then to Bishop Place in Pullman where she has lived for the past five years.

She is survived by children; Mark Lee (Kelly) Heinlen of Colfax and Dianne Fern Heinlen of Bellingham, WA.; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild; along with two sisters; Nancy Burke of Big Bear, CA. and Susan Wilcox of Kearneysville, WV. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph in 2019 and by a daughter, Lisa Ann Humphreys.

The family suggests memorial gifts in her name be to the Palouse Federated Church, 635 N. Bridge St, Palouse, WA. 99161. Corbeill Funeral Home of Colfax is caring for the family. www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com