Date of Birth Feb. 12, 1929
Passed away 5/7/11
Born in Santa Ana, CA to Fred and Cleo Hein, Ron was raised mostly in Chino, CA, graduating from Chino High School in 1947. In 1949 he married Marilynne (Shanks) Hein, also of Chino. They raised their two children there, and moved to Newport Beach in 1969. They were happily married until her death in 1999, just shy of their 50th anniversary.
Following his father Fred Hein into the Department of Fish and Game, Ron spent a long and fulfilling career as a wildlife manager, in Orange, San Diego, and LA County. He was proudest of his efforts connected with the fight to preserve the Upper Newport Bay from development . He co-authored a report by California Dept of Fish and Game that favored conserving the bay, and asked the question “what kind of legacy does this generation want to leave to those of the future?” Thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Newport Bay’s Frank and Fran Robinson, in 1975 the Upper Bay was established as a marine preserve and wildlife refuge, under the management of Fish and Game.
