Heinz Zager Obituary

KINGSPORT - Heinz J. Zager, 83, of Kingsport, left this world peacefully at his home with his loving wife and two daughters by his side. His family already misses him dearly but he told us many times he will be with us in our hearts always.

Heinz was born on October 31, 1940, in Graz, Austria to the late Heinrich & Elfriede von Benndorf Zager. He was baptized November 15, 1944, at St Peter's Church in Graz. He graduated from Graz University in Austria and also served in the Austrian military. When he was 26, he moved to Canada where he lived in the Yukon Territory, Alberta and Ontario provinces.

Heinz was a lead machinery engineer for Union Carbide Corporation and well known for his engineering skills & knowledge within the industry. His work led him to West Virginia and later to Houston, Texas. He moved back to Europe and lived in The Netherlands, returned to Texas and finally moved to Tennessee.

Heinz loved to travel whether it was the many times driving across Canada on the Alaskan Highway; visiting all 50 U.S. States in his motorhome, flying to many countries in Europe and all the way to Japan or simply relaxing on the beautiful beaches in the Caribbean Islands and Mexico. Heinz's kids all inherited his passion for seeing new places, trying new food and his love for being near the ocean. His family will always have wonderful memories of the many places we visited.

Even though he loved to travel, Heinz also loved being at home cooking a nice dinner with his family, enjoying a cup of coffee and dessert (anything sweet but especially homemade rum cake or pecan pralines from his favorite candy shop in Texas) or napping with his cat, Pilch and dogs, Lucy and Bo. Heinz also had a love for his cars - all of them - but especially his Corvettes and Porsche. He could fix anything with nothing and he could do it by himself; a gift he later told Mia he learned while living and working in the Yukon. If he couldn't fix it right at that moment, it was certain to make one of his many running lists of things to do. His famous list-making lives on with all his family members.

Above all, Heinz will be remembered as a wonderful husband and Dad!

In addition to his parents, Heinz was preceded in death by his first wife, Ingrid Feuchter Zager; and brothers in law, Dr. Heinz Schaffellner and Hellmuth Descovich-Jentsch.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 20 years, Mia Zager; sons, Gregory Robert (Spring and daughters, Skylar and Addyson) Zager, and Christopher Eric (Barbara and son Darian) Zager; Daughters, Madelyn Rose Zager (dear friend Jacob Biggs) and Rylie Sky Zager;sisters, Liselotte Schaffellner and Herlinde Descovich-Jentsch; mother-in-law, Brenda Larkins. father-in-law, Michael E. (Gay) Bush; sisters-in-law, Andrea Huff (son Eli Huff) and Melissa Bush; brother in law, Michael S. Bush (Rachel Hall and Caleb, Laynie, Avery & Ryan); nieces, Dr. Silvia Schaffellner (Gunter Vogelmeier), Klaudia Steininger (Heinz), Elke Descovich-Jentsch (Emmerich Hammer & son Simon) and nephew, Michael Descovich-Jentsch (son Maximilian).

The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 pm, Monday, January 22, 2024, in the chapel of Oak Hill Funeral and Cremation Services.

A Celebration of Heinz's life will begin at 2:00 pm with Pastor Wayne Baker officiating.

The family would like to thank Amedisys Hospice and Kingsport Comfort Keepers for their excellent care for Heinz and support to our family.

To share memories and condolences with the family please visit www.oakhillfh.com.

The care of Heinz J. Zager and his family has been entrusted to the staff of Oak Hill Funeral and Cremation Services.