Dick Heimann, major Asante donor & Lithia Motors co-founder, passes away

SOUTHERN OREGON, —Dick Heimann, a long-time community member who made his mark in southern Oregon, has passed away.

He was a key component in bringing Asante’s regional cancer center to life, and a major leader for decades at Lithia Motors. Heimann’s family says he passed Tuesday morning in San Francisco, where he was receiving cancer treatment.

Stunned by the news, the Asante Foundation says his contributions to our community are immeasurable. Last year the Asante Foundation announced its largest gift at the time, of $ 5 million from Dick and his wife Mary.

Initially, the two wanted to stay anonymous but then changed their mind, thinking attaching their name would inspire others in the community to give.

Heimann himself went through cancer treatments at Asante. Thanks to the Heimann’s, patients now have a state-of-the-art building where they can receive cancer care.

“He will be so missed, such an extraordinary person, and to think now how he will be remembered at the same time that we’re missing him and his legacy will live on,” said Andrea Reeder, Executive Director of the Asante Foundation.

It was just a couple of months ago in June, that the cancer center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, to jump-start improving the lives of people in the community.

Heimann’s funeral will be this Sunday in Las Vegas. A ceremony here in the Rogue Valley will be held at a later date.

All of us at KOBI-TV NBC5 extend our deepest sympathies to Dick’s wife Mary, and his many friends, and family.

© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.

Jenna King is the 6pm and 11pm anchor for NBC5 News. Jenna is a Burbank, CA native. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Sports Business. During her time at Oregon she was part of the student-run television station, Duck TV. She also grew her passion for sports through her internship with the PAC 12 Network. When Jenna is not in the newsroom you can find her rooting for her hometown Dodgers, exploring the outdoors or binging on the latest Netflix release.
Skip to content