In January 2020, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation had a conversation with Karen Heintz Castelli, who shared the stories of her Heintz and Knox families.

Since its inception, the Linda Mae Mahon Foundation has researched and developed a local area Veteran story for presentation at the Memorial Day Ceremony produced each year by the Elk Grove Cosumnes Cemetery District. We began this tradition in 2016. In 2021 we have the solemn honor of sharing the story of Wayne D. Heintz, a graduate of Elk Grove High School, Class of 1964, who was killed in the Vietnam War in 1968. Our development of Wayne's story is the result of a combination of researching archival and military records and numerous conversations with those who knew Wayne, including elementary and high school friends Richard Gage, Carl Carlson, Ernie Boone, and Terry Burke, and, most importantly, his sister Karen Heintz Castelli and his best friend Bob Lent, both also graduates of Elk Grove High School.

This is Wayne's full life story.

In January 2019, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation spent time with Doris Holm as she related the Holm family story. Doris is a retired long-time teacher in Elk Grove and an active civic leader in the area.

In March 2017, the LMML Foundation interviewed members of the Jackson family who are from Florin and Elk Grove. During our discussion, they told of their family's migration across the plains, of their settling in Florin in the 1860s, and of the impact the family had and is continuing to have on the area and its residents.

Bob Lent—Growing up in Elk Grove

In December 2019, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation had a conversation with Bob Lent, lifelong resident of Elk Grove, who shared stories of growing up in this town, including the story of his friendship with Wayne Heintz.

In December 2019 the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation had a conversation with Bob Lent, lifelong resident of Elk Grove, who shared stories of growing up in this town including the story of his friendship with Wayne Heintz.

In January 2019, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation chatted with Tom Mackey as he discussed the history of the Mackey family.

In May 2019, the Linda Mae Mahon Lema Foundation chatted with Mary Jane McCombs as she discussed the history of the McCombs family.

In February 2017, the LMML Foundation interviewed Oscar Mix, a native of Elk Grove. During our discussion, he told of his family’s immigration from Europe, of their deeds in early America and across the country to California. Mr. Mix shared a great number of unique and compelling stories about his family and about the Elk Grove area from 1900 to today.