OBITUARIES: Retired county circuit court Judge Heise dies at 84 | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

A retired Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge, he presided over a courtroom known for its levity as well as its fairness and efficiency, and he always was ready for a good joke.

"They could be silly ones, funny ones, bawdy ones, colloquial ones - he loved hearing a good joke almost as much as he loved telling one," said Shari Heise Forcina of Aberdeen, his daughter.

His laughter is one aspect his family and friends will miss the most. Judge Heise, 84, died July 26 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after suffering two strokes.

Judge Heise began his law career in 1953 as a partner with Wright, Larrimore and Heise in Annapolis. He served as a part-time magistrate for the Police Court of Annapolis, and five years later was appointed to the newly formed People's Court. When it became the District Court in 1971, he automatically became District Court judge.

Gov. Harry Hughes appointed Judge Heise to the county Circuit Court bench in 1981.

He retired in 1989.

"Being in court with him was like being in court with your grandfather. He was very wise, very authoritative, and very practical. When you went before Bob Heise you got country justice," said T. Joseph Touhey, a longtime defense attorney in Glen Burnie.

He met Judge Heise in 1965 as he first began his career, and came to call the judge a personal friend.

"He knew the law, but he dispensed it with a little common sense. He was always a very jovial kind of guy," Mr. Touhey said.

He recalled playing golf with Judge Heise over the years and how he enjoyed hearing the judge talk about the different cases that came through his courtroom.

"He was just a fun guy to be with, loved to tell a good story and for some reason always laughed at my jokes. He would twist the rules of golf beyond any recognition and we always thought he was color blind - he wore the craziest set of clothes I ever saw in my life," he said. "He was a good old friend, and I'm going to miss him."

Judge Heise was born in Annapolis on Aug. 28, 1923, to the late Richard E.A. and Eloise Styron Heise, and lived in Annapolis all his life. As a child he rode a paper route, delivering The Capital and saving his earnings to buy chocolate-covered cherries.

He graduated from Annapolis High School in 1941.

He served during World War II in the Army Air Corps, in the Fifth Army Air Corps, 417th Bombardment Group from 1942 to 1946.

After the war, he enrolled in night school at the University of Baltimore while working as a chemist technician at North Severn Naval Laboratory. He graduated in 1952 with a bachelor's degree in law.

Judge Heise met his wife, Nadine Shirley Siber Heise, through a mutual friend he met on a cruise to England.

They were married within a year, on Judge Heise's birthday. They would have celebrated their 50th anniversary next month.

"He loved his family," Mrs. Forcina said. "One of his greatest joys was always being able to come home and have dinner with all of us around the table, with each of us sharing what had happened with our day."

"He was just a great father," Judy Heise said, recalling how her father refused to have her brother, Robert S. "Bobby" Heise II, committed to a home after he was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

"My dad loved (Bobby) tremendously. He would always take my brother on a ride, and they had a special bond," Ms. Heise said. Robert Heise continued to live with his parents until about five years ago, when they moved to an apartment and he moved to Langton Green.

Judge Heise shared his love of travel and history with his children, Ms. Heise said, and loved to tell stories from World War II.

After he retired, he enjoyed traveling with his wife, including trips to Russia, Scandinavia, Spain and Portugal. He loved sports, particularly golf, and served as an official for basketball, soccer, lacrosse and football games. He enjoyed reading and playing cribbage as well.

A founding member of the Annapolis Athletic Association, he was president of the Annapolis Board of Recreation and Parks and chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, as well as serving in various capacities on the Boards of the Elks Club, the Lions Club, the Annapolis chapter of the Navy League, the Providence Center and most recently of Langton Green, Inc.

He also served as a counsel to the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, as staff counsel to the late state Sen. Louis N. Phipps and as a delegate to the Maryland Democratic Central Committee.

In addition to his parents, Judge Heise was preceded in death by two brothers, William and Richard Heise Jr.

Survivors include two brothers: John "Jack" Heise of Las Vegas, Nev., and Charles Heise of Davenport, Fla.; one sister, Sarah Stava of Bloomington, Ind.; and one granddaughter, as well as his wife and children.

Funeral services were held yesterday at Taylor Funeral Home. Interment is in Cedar Bluff Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Langton Green, Inc., 3016 Arundel on the Bay Road, Annapolis, MD 21403.