Jeffrey Robert Heinz

Jeffrey Robert Heinz, of Vienna, Virginia, passed away on September 5, 2026, at the age of 64. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sharon Heinz; his children, Olivia Heinz and Will Heinz; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Lori and Tom Ruff, Carol Heinz, Diana and Mike Langhorne, and Leslie and Jeffrey Knapp; his mother-in-law, Rose Ann Lamb; his sister-in-law, Maria Martin; his eight nieces and nephews; one great-nephew; and two great-nieces. Jeff was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. He was intelligent, funny, generous, courageous, and kind, with a great sense of humor, a gift for storytelling, and a great heart.

Jeff was born on August 9, 1962, in Hampton, Virginia, to Lieutenant General Edward J. Heinz, a three-star Air Force general, and Glorianne Regina Heinz (Gergen). Growing up, Jeff lived in several places with his family, including Izmir, Turkey; Hastings, Minnesota; Lake Ridge, Virginia; Omaha, Nebraska; and Colorado Springs. His family later lived in Stuttgart, West Germany, where Jeff spent summers and school breaks while attending college in the United States.

Jeff attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, earning a bachelor’s degree in Finance in 1984. He remained a proud Hokie throughout his life and served on the Finance Alumni Board at Virginia Tech. After graduating, he lived in Falls Church, Virginia, before eventually making Vienna his home, where he lived for 28 years.

Jeff built a career in finance, beginning at Sallie Mae where he served as the Managing Director of Investor Relations among other roles. He went on to serve as Director of Investor Relations at Gannett from 2003 to 2012 and Vice President of Investor Relations at TEGNA from 2012 to 2019.

Jeff met Sharon while they were both working at Sallie Mae. They married on October 6, 1990, and shared nearly 36 years together. Their life together was centered around their family, friends, and travel.

Jeff loved to travel, especially with Sharon and his children, Olivia and Will. Some of their favorite trips included Iceland, Quebec City, Bermuda, Greece, and Portugal. He loved seeing new places and, even more, the memories made along the way with his family.

Jeff was an avid reader and book collector and a lifelong Virginia Tech football fan. He loved going to concerts at Wolf Trap, faithfully completed the crossword puzzle every day, and rarely missed Jeopardy!, where he always seemed to know the answer before anyone else in the room.

But some of Jeff’s favorite hours were also the simplest ones: sitting on his deck with his dogs, a book in hand, and nowhere else he needed to be. Duncan, Roxy, Lulu, and Poppy were beloved companions, and Jeff loved the quiet comfort of being home with them.

Jeff also cared deeply about his community. He volunteered with and served on the board of CHO (Committee for Helping Others), an organization helping people in need throughout Northern Virginia.

Jeff was strong and courageous, but also sweet, charming, and incredibly funny. He loved to tell stories and joke around, especially with his nieces and nephews, and he had a way of making the people around him laugh and feel at home. He was a genuinely good person who gave generously of his time, his humor, and himself. His family and friends will miss his stories, his laughter, his wisdom, and the warmth he brought to their lives.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 20, 2026, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Vienna, Virginia. A celebration of life reception will follow from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Evelyn Rose on Church Street in Vienna.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jeff’s memory to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts at this link
https://community.wolftrap.org/support/tribute/heinz or CHO (Committee for Helping Others) at https://cho-va.com/ Checks, payable to CHO can also be mailed to CHO, P.O. Box 233, Vienna VA 22183.