Eugene Henry DeWendt Heim (Gene), 39, a resident of Poquoson, Virginia, passed away from a very aggressive cancer on Saturday, May 11, 2019.

He was born and grew up in St. Marys, Kansas. Gene is the son of Richard Heim and Linda Erikson, brother of Paula Heim Bryan and Mary Ann Heim Schindler. Gene graduated from Wichita State University in 2002 and later received a master's degree from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Aerospace Engineering. Gene dreamed of working for NASA for as early as he could remember and was honored to be a part of the NASA Langley family. He worked to promote advances in flight dynamics but took great pride in his accomplishments towards the development and launch of the rocket Ares I-X.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Kathleen Dorfler Heim, and two young children, son, Peter, and daughter, Lillian. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father, a devoted engineer, a smiling role model, and an energetic dancer.

A funeral service will be conducted at 3:00 PM Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the W. J. Smith and Son Funeral Home in Newport News. The family will receive friends after the service until 5:00 PM. Gene will be going home to Kansas for burial.

Gene so appreciated the power of education. His family wishes to extend the gift to others by establishing a scholarship in his name at Wichita State University.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-heim-family.