Architecture student from Arlington Heights remembered by friends

A 2010 graduate of Buffalo Grove High School who was pursuing his fourth year of architecture studies at Syracuse University died March 9 from complications resulting from a childhood illness.

David Heinrich, of Arlington Heights, was 24.

Friends recalled that Heinrich was an excellent student at St. Peter Lutheran School in Arlington Heights and was involved in Scouts and the robotics team.

One of his classmates, William Rittmeyer, participated on the team with Heinrich. Their team finished as regional champions and state qualifiers two years in a row during their seventh- and eighth-grade years, Rittmeyer says.

"Neither of us were really involved in the technical aspects of it, but more the creative side," says Rittmeyer. "Dave was always very creative and artistic."

The two met up again at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where both joined the Lutheran residential fraternity, Beta Sigma Psi. Heinrich initially began pursuing an engineering degree, but his friend suspects the artistic side of Heinrich took over and led to his transfer to Syracuse to study architecture.

At Syracuse, Heinrich found challenging coursework and the chance to study architecture in both London and Florence. The architecture program at Syracuse seemed to capture him with its emphasis on developing "well-rounded designers who approach disciplinary skill and a broad knowledge of the world, with equal vigor."

Marilyn Rittmeyer remembers Heinrich as an award-winning student at St. Peter who approached everything with vigor.

"The thing that always amazed me about David was his spirit. He was always happy, at peace and positive-spirited," Rittmeyer said. "He did not let his illness stop him from pursuing his dreams for life."

She suspects his positive attitude came from his family and their strong faith life. Both of his parents were involved with Lutheran education. Ken Heinrich coached track for many years at Immanuel Lutheran School in Palatine, where his wife, Tamara, also was a substitute teacher.

Heinrich is survived by his parents and three younger brothers, Eric, Adam and Jacob. Visitation will take place Friday from 1 p.m. until the start of a funeral service at 3:30 p.m., both at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 200 N. Plum Grove Road in Palatine.

The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the neurosurgery department at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave. in Chicago.