Dr. Charles Heimsch, a resident of Moscow, Idaho, for the last two and half years, died from complications related to advanced age and prostate cancer at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow on April 23. Charles (Charlie to his family and friends) courageously battled his recent health problems and spent his last days with his children and several of his grandchildren. During this period, his spirits were buoyed by the outpouring of letters, flowers, and phone calls he received from friends, colleagues, and family.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, on May 4, 1914, to Charles and Martha Heimsch, Charlie was an alumnus of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. At Miami he started his career in botany, earned letters in football and golf, was initiated into Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and graduated summa cum laude in 1936. He continued his education at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he received his master's degree (1939) and doctorate (1941), specializing in plant anatomy. After a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Heimsch began his academic career in 1942 as an assistant professor of biology at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. During 1944-'46, while on leave from Swarthmore College, he was a research scientist for the National Defense Research Committee in the Office of Scientific Research and Development, Washington, D.C. In 1946, Dr. Heimsch resumed his academic career as assistant professor of biology at Amherst College in Massachusetts. In 1947, he joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin where he was promoted to associate professor (1950) and professor of botany (1953). In 1959, he left the University of Texas and returned to Miami University as professor and chairman of the Department of Botany, a position he held for 18 years. Under his leadership, the department grew from five faculty members to 14, the department's curriculum and undergraduate and graduate student enrollments were dramatically expanded, the Ph.D. program in botany at Miami was instituted, and the department became recognized as one of the nation's leading academic units in botanical science and education. After stepping down as chairman in 1977, Charles continued to teach botany until his retirement from Miami University in 1981. In 1981, Charles received Miami University's prestigious Benjamin Harrison Award in recognition of his national contributions to higher education. As an emeritus faculty member he continued to teach botany at Miami until age 73 and remained active in botanical research until he relocated to Moscow in 2000. Last summer, at the 2002 Meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Dr. Heimsch received a special award recognizing his contributions to botanical science and education that spanned eight decades.
During his career, Charles taught and advised legions of students and mentored scores of graduate students and young faculty. He authored numerous journal articles, wrote two textbooks, and served as editor (1964-69) for the American Journal of Botany. He was elected president of the American Botanical Society in 1971-72 after serving as a vice president and treasurer for the society. He also was a member of numerous other scientific organizations and honor societies. Stemming from his background as a student athlete, Charlie also helped provide stewardship for Miami's intercollegiate athletic program. From 1974 to 1981, he served as chairman of the university's Athletic Advisory Board and as the university's faculty representative to the NCAA and to the Mid-American Conference. In recognition of his accomplishments as a student athlete and his later contributions to inter-collegiate athletics, Charlie was inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
Charles was married to the former Dorothy Johnson of Mount Vernon, Ohio, from September 1938 until her death in 1973. They had three children; Richard, Carolyn, and Alan. He was married to Evah Jo Johnson of Oxford, Ohio, from 1974 until the marriage was dissolved in 2000.
The life of Charlie Heimsch was robust and characterized by love for and devotion to his family, friends, scientific discipline, and Miami University. He derived life-long enjoyment from home gardening and horticulture, intellectual challenge and commitment to excellence, the game of golf, inter-collegiate athletics, traveling the world, his affiliation with Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and his personal involvement with an array of humanitarian causes. Charlie touched the lives of many and will be missed by all.
Charles is survived by son Richard Heimsch and his spouse Prudence of Moscow, Idaho, and their daughters Elizabeth Keyes, Kathleen Heimsch, and Hilary Heimsch Kozel. Elizabeth, her husband Christopher and great-grandchildren Elizabeth, Stephanie, and Cassandra reside in Vancouver, Wash. Kathleen resides in Moscow and Hilary and her spouse Zachary reside in Boise, Idaho. Daughter Carolyn and her husband Julio and their sons Justin and Jeremy live in Bay Shore, New York. Son Alan and his spouse Debora and their children Charlene, Richard, and Crystal reside in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Further, Charles is survived by his extended family that includes his former wife, Jo Heimsch of Cincinnati, Ohio, and her children Nancy Plump and Donald Johnson and their families and Steven Johnson.
The memorial service for Charles will be held at the Oxford Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Ohio, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 24. Following the memorial service, an informal gathering at Miami University is planned. The family requests that flowers not be sent. For those wishing to contribute, a memorial fund has been established to honor Dr. Heimsch's legacy and contributions to the botany world. Proceeds from this endowment will be used in perpetuity to preserve and enhance the quality of Miami University's Department of Botany. Contributions may be directed to the Miami University Foundation, 725 E. Chestnut, Oxford, Ohio 45056 c/o the Charles Heimsch Memorial Fund.
