Josephine A. Heiman

Josephine Ann Heiman, the third child born to Joseph Anthony and Sara Hester Gallop Heidrick was born June 17, 1919 on a farm 4 ½ miles south of Beloit in a nice limestone home. She departed this life of 88 years, 9 months and 4 days early Friday, March 21, 2008 at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit.

At the age of three, she and her family moved to the Heidrick homestead east of Beloit to help care for her Grandma Caroline Heidrick. At the age of eight, Josephine lost her mother and her father sent her to live with different relatives because he was afraid growing up in a house full of boys would not be good for her. After two months and many attempts to come running home, he let her come "home" to live.

Josephine attended Riverside School just ½ mile east of home. Growing up, she loved to go adventuring out in the neighborhood with her twin brother Dick, always getting into some sort of trouble. After her father's death in 1934, she along with her brothers Dick and Warren went to live with her brother Russell.

She was the socialite of Beloit at this time and she had been working at Sandy Waggoner's Café and was invited to all of the dances. She attended a dance on October 29 in Simpson where Lawrence Welk was playing. There, she met Lawrence Heiman who would become her future husband; they were married at 7:00 A.M. June 18, 1936 at St. John's Catholic Church and set up housekeeping in west Beloit.

The couple was so happy after several years of saving to put a down payment on a farm south of Beloit where they lived the remainder of their lives and raise their five children Lawrence, Dean, Richard, Marilyn and David.

Josephine continued to work in Beloit at could be found at Zachary's Meat Market, J.C. Penny's, St .John's School Cafeteria where she was the head cook for many years, and Torr's HyKlas Foods that later became the D&K Food Store.

Josephine's favorite things were cooking, raising chickens, going to sales and taking care of her family and friends. She always knew the perfect way to do things. After the death of her son Richard and husband Lawrence, she dedicated all of her time to her kids and grandchildren, which, as she put it "makes me feel needed." Even though her health declined, she was able to stay at home; after breaking her hip, her daughter Marilyn was able to care for her on the farm.

She was a devout member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and was active in the Legion of Mary and the Altar Guild. In addition, she was a member of the Pleasant View EHU and the VFW Auxiliary.

In addition to her parents, Josephine was preceded in death by her son Richard, husband Lawrence, twin brother Gerald "Dick" Heidrick, brothers Russell and Warren Heidrick.

Left to mourn her passing and celebrate her life are her children Larry Heiman and wife Mildred of Beloit, Dean Heiman and wife Betty of Wichita, a daughter-in-law Sharon Heiman of Wichita, Marilyn Peterson and husband Chuck of Beloit, David Heiman and wife Ann of Waynesville, Georgia; 15 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Lela Heiman, Lou Heiman, Marie Keller, Frances McCready, Leona Hagstrom, and many relatives and friends. She outlived all of the Heidrick family of her generation.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church by Father Joseph Kieffer. Interment will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M. Tuesday at the McDonald Funeral Home where a Parish Vigil Service will be held at 6:30 P.M. Memorials may be given to St. John's Memorial Trust Fund, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, or the Mitchell County Historical Society.