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Mr. Earl Heintz (Deceased)

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Please click on any news story in the news box, then the archives link in the upper left which appears on the new page. Click on the March & 2018 format on the Archives Page, then click on his story once that page appears for the obituary, including any photos and footnotes which may have been included.

Obituary: Longtime area track coach Heintz dies – Veteran & 1975 USL HPE Graduate – March 28, 2018

Obituary posted below story by Bobby Ardoin.

Earl F. “Coach” Heintz Obituary
Bobby Ardoin, Special to the Daily World, March 31, 2018

State championships were spread throughout the 40-year coaching career of Earl Heintz, whose loyalty to his players and athletes combined to help him with that success, according to one former coaching colleague.

Heintz, who died at 69 on Wednesday at Senior Village in Opelousas following a lengthy illness, coached track teams that won three state titles at Port Barre. In addition he served as an assistant on two state champion football teams.

Despite those coaching accomplishments, Heintz never abandoned the attention he gave to his family, said former Port Barre athletic director and head football coach Mac Mistric.
“With Earl, it was always family first and his work a close second. He was a military man from way back, a Marine and someone who always had that loyalty to his kids and the schools where he coached.
“All the kids that I know that he coached said the same thing: They could count on him. They said they saw a coach that was out there always doing his best and that made them do their best. With those things in mind, you knew that you had accomplished something at the end of the day,” said Mistric.

Mistric said despite Heintz’s dedication to his coaching, he never let that responsibility interfere with the relationship he had with his family.
“There was never a doubt that he was a very family-oriented guy and he never let his coaching get in front of that. It was always nice to see his family there with him both during the games and afterward when we would have the get togethers,” Mistric said.

Former Port Barre athletic director and head coach Donnie Perron said Heintz was hired at the school during the 1990s and stayed until his retirement several years ago.
“We were looking for another coach and (Heintz) was also a math teacher. That proved to be a perfect fit for us, because he was a good teacher and a good coach.
“What made him successful as a teacher and a coach was his organizational skills. He was also someone who related to the kids. He interacted well with them, but that didn’t get in the way of the discipline that he had,” Perron said.
Heintz, Perron said, coached two state championship boys’ track teams at Port Barre. Another title was achieved with the girls’ team.

His track teams won 14 district titles and 12 regional championships in 15 years.
In addition Heintz was a football assistant on the Red Devils’ 2002 state championship football team. He was also an assistant on the 1974 Opelousas Catholic state football championship team.

After leaving Opelousas Catholic, Heintz served either as a head coach or assistant at numerous schools, including Maria Goretti in Lake Arther, Vermilion Catholic, Sacred Heart of Ville Platte, Abbeville, Gueydan, Central Catholic-Morgan City, Teurlings Catholic and Beau Chene.

Visitation at Lafond-Ardoin Funeral Home in Opelousas will be held from 5-9 p.m. Sunday and 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday.

A funeral Mass for Heintz will be held at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Opelousas at 1 p.m. Monday. Graveside services will follow in Lafayette at Greenlawn Cemetery in Lafayette.

Posted by Dr. Ed Dugas, April 1, 2018 with information provided by son Joe Heintz, also a graduate of the USL HPE program. Joe is currently physical education teacher and coach at Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette.

Our condolences to the Heintz family, his many friends, and former athletes.
* * * * * * *

Earl F. “Coach” Heintz
1948 – 2018

Coach Earl F. “Coach” Heintz

Opelousas – A Mass of Christian Burial for Earl F. “Coach” Heintz will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, April 2, 2018 at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church. The Very Reverend Monsignor Keith J. DeRouen will be the celebrant. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery in Lafayette.

Visitation will be held at LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home in Opelousas on Sunday, April 1, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A rosary will be recited at 6:30 PM on Sunday evening by Deacon Jerome Collins. The funeral home will reopen on Monday, April 2, 2018, at 8:00 AM until 12:30 PM.

Mr. Heintz, age 69, passed away on March 28, 2018 at Senior Village Nursing Home following a lengthy illness.

Coach was born in New Orleans on December 1, 1948. He was in the first graduation class at Rummel High School, served four years in the United States Marine Corps attaining the rank of Sergeant, and graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a degree in Health and Physical Education in 1975. He began his teaching and coaching career at Opelousas Catholic where he was part of the 1974 state championship football squad.

After leaving OC, he taught and coached football, basketball, track, and softball at St. Maria Goretti in Lake Arthur, Ascension Catholic, Abbeville HIgh, Gueydan High, Vermilion Catholic, Sacred Heart of Ville Platte, Central Catholic, Teurlings Catholic, Bunkie and Beau Chene before finding his home at Port Barre High School.

At Port Barre he was part of another state championship football team. As the head track coach at Port Barre he guided the Red Devils to 14 district titles in 15 years, 12 regional titles, and three state championships. He received Coach of the Year honors from the Louisiana Track Coaches’ Association and was named Acadiana Coach of the Year by the Lafayette Daily Advertiser on several occasions, and was nationally certified by the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association. While at Port Barre, every student who graduated was a member of his Algebra II, Algebra I, or Financial Math class.

He was an active parishioner at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, serving as a Eucharistic Minister and a devoted member of the Adoration Chapel prior to his illness.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, the former Martha (Marty) Callahan of Opelousas; a son, Joseph C. Heintz and daughter-in-law Melanie Prudhomme Heintz of Lafayette; a daughter, Kathleen Pool and son-in-law Michael E. Pool of Lafayette; four grandchildren: Elizabeth, Michael, and Andrew Heintz and William Pool, all of Lafayette; two brothers: Charles H. Heintz, Jr. of Gretna, and Edward M. Heintz of Stonewall, LA; and a sister, Mary C. Pauratore of Covington.

He was predeceased by his parents, Charles H. Heintz Sr. and Margaret Westwater Heintz and a brother, Robert Heintz, all of New Orleans.

Pallbearers will be Kevin Callahan, Danny Callahan, Michael Heintz, Andrew Heintz, Joe Heintz and Eddie Heintz.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Coach’s name to the Opelousas Catholic Tuition Assistance Fund.

LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas, 2845 South Union Street, Opelousas, LA 70570 (337-942-2638) has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Published in the The Advertiser & Daily World on Mar. 30, 2018