Charles H. Heino, 87, of Belgrade, died peacefully at Lakewood Manor in Waterville, Maine on Dec. 22, 2018.

Charlie was born in Rockland, Maine on Sept. 6, 1931. He was the son of Charles A. and Mary E. Heino, who were native to Finland and Poland, respectively. Born during the Great Depression to a hardworking and resourceful family, his work ethic and connection to his home and heritage began at an early age.

Charlie grew up in Rockland and graduated from Rockland High School in 1949. He received bachelor of science and master’s degrees in education and a certificate of advanced studies in school superintendency from the University of Maine in Orono. Charlie was a lifelong educator. His career began in 1955 in Bethel, where he taught seventh and eighth grade and later became principal. He also served as a teaching principal at the Chisholm Elementary School in Rumford. He later became a superintendent of schools in the Mechanic Falls, Wiscasset, and Chelsea school systems. Additionally, he served as an interim superintendent in the Damariscotta, Vinalhaven-North Haven, Boothbay Harbor, and Wiscasset school systems. He traveled to the Soviet Union in the early ’70s to research Russian school-based education, he was a member of the Maine Education Association, and he served on the board of directors of the Maine School Management Association.

After retiring from education in 1980, Charlie lived in Boothbay and worked in the insurance industry. In 1990, he ran for office in the Maine House of Representatives and won. He served three terms in the House representing the Boothbay area, and there he focused his work on the Transportation Committee, the Marine Resources Committee, and the Fish and Wildlife Committee. In 2001, Charlie re-located to Belgrade, where he lived for the next 17 years.

Charlie’s interests and talents were innumerable. He was a devoted Red Sox fan. He was a licensed Master Maine Guide and a member of the Bethel Masonic Lodge. He enjoyed woodworking, canoe building, hunting and fishing, gardening, reading, politics, and watching sports. He was a gifted musician and vocalist, he knew his way around the stand-up bass, and he played in small groups and bands all over the state. Well into his 80s, Charlie continued to play electric bass and sing at gigs with fellow musicians and lifelong friends. He was very proud of his ancestry, his Finnish ancestry in particular, and he was a writer and speaker for the Finnish American Society of Mid-Coast Maine, the Finnish Heritage House, and the Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine. Charlie was also the author of several poems, as well as his own memoir, “Cobblestones to Hot Top: A Life in Maine” (2009).

Charlie was predeceased by his parents, sister Anna Kangas, and brother-in-law Reino Kangas.

He is survived by four sons: Michial and his wife Dianne of Belgrade Lakes, Danial of Boothbay Harbor, Scott of Bass Harbor, and Jeffrey of Belgrade; one daughter, Pamela Aloupis of Bangor; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family is extremely grateful for the compassionate and professional care provided to him by the providers, nurses, and caregivers at Inland Hospital, Lakewood Manor, and Beacon Hospice.

Honoring Charlie’s request, there will be no visitation or funeral service. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to: The Finnish American Society of Mid-Coast Maine at P.O. Box 488, Warren, ME 04864, or to the Belgrade Fire and Rescue Association, P.O. Box 404, Belgrade, ME, 04917

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta, Maine.  Condolences, photos and memories may be shared at www.plummerfh.com