Donna Heckenlaible
October 9, 1925 ~ May 1, 2012
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Donna Heckenlaible, 86 years, 6 months and 20 days, of Highmore, passed away with her daughters at her side, Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at Highmore Health, Highmore, SD.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 4, 2012 at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Highmore with Pastor David Peterson officiating. Burial followed at the Highmore Cemetery. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 3, 2012 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at Luze Funeral Home, Highmore.
Donna Heckenlaible was born October 9, 1925 on a farm in Hyde County, South Dakota to Herbert and Katherine (Plum) Giesel. She was baptized as an infant and was confirmed and joined the Our Savior Lutheran Church as an adult. As a young woman, she worked as a waitress in Miller, SD at the Green Lantern and at Marshalls Café in Highmore, SD. On July 20, 1946 she was united in marriage to Marvin Heckenlaible. To this union two daughters were born.
Throughout the years, she enjoyed being a mother, making quilts, doing craft projects, reading books about South Dakota history and anything else that piqued her interest. She especially enjoyed keeping track of everyone that had ever lived in Highmore as she seemed to have clipped every obituary out of the Highmore Herald and pasted them in scrap books or filed them in boxes. Sometimes she just liked to reread these and remember all of the wonderful people that she knew and loved. Her greatest accomplishment was learning to drive at age 60 and it was very difficult for her when she could no longer drive.
She began working for the Hyde County Library when she was about 55 and then retired as the Assistant Librarian at age 70. The computer age was a bit intimidating to her and she didn’t feel like she’d be interested in learning how to navigate one. This was something best left for the next generation. Upon retirement from the Hyde County Library, she began delivering meals on wheels, taking others “uptown” to do some grocery shopping or just buzzing up to the Post Office to check her mail. She also cut many quilt blocks for the Circle she belonged to at Our Savior Lutheran Church. She always had time for her church.
She became an avid fan of watching her grandchildren’s basketball and volleyball games as she supported their teams and always believed they played the best.
Survivors include her two daughters: Frances (Harry) Miniken , Lakewood, WA and Erma (Garry) Van Zee, Highmore; one sister: Shirley Palmer, Blaine, MN; five grandchildren: Derrick (Tracie) Miniken, Redmond, WA, Tyson Miniken, Seattle, WA, Nathan (Maegan) Miniken, Tacoma, WA, Gavin Van Zee, Sioux Falls, And Tiffany Van Zee, Burnsville, MN; and three great-grandchildren: Connor Miniken (Derrick &Tracie), and Reiker Miniken and Kahri Robertson-Miniken (Nathan & Maegan); and numerous nieces and nephews.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents: Herbert & Katherine Giesel; husband: Marvin; one sister: Beatrice; and two brothers: Willard and Wayne.
Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Donna’s arrangements.
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Dear Erma and family,
So sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. We will be thinking of you here in Minneapolis. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love and friendship,
Doris
Dearest Fran, Erman and Families,
We are so sorry for your loss. I will never forget all of the times I spent at your house playing in the playhouse. Your Mom was always so kind and always had a smile. She will always be special to me.
I am so sorry we can not be there for the services Friday, but we leave for Chicago tomorrow.
Hold onto all of those happy memories to help you through the days ahead, We send or love and prayers.
Louie and Myrt
I will miss visiting with your Mom, she has been a part of my life for years, Erma’s Mom, Tiff’s Grandma, my favorite libraian, fellow church member, and table partner to Nada. Her soft voice and sweet smile always made me feel wonderful. Sorry for your loss. May God bless you during this difficult time.
Hugs your Friend
Edith
I will never forget the time I got to spend as a teenager working along side her at the library. She became a great customer of mine at Midwest years later and it was so great to get to see her again on a regular basis!! I will think of her often and always have a smile on my face. I will miss her!
Dear Fran and Family,
Please accept the deepest sympathy of the faculty and staff of the Department of Workforce Education and Development at Southern Illinois University. Your mother was a wonderful woman who impacted many lives. She will always be with you in the memories and the love she shared.
In sympathy,
WED Faculty and Staff, On and Off Campus
To Donna’s family. I know that you will miss her so much. She was a special lady and a great librarian! Our sympathy to you.
Beverly King
Fran: I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time.
My sympathy to you in the death of Donna. I always enjoyed visiting with her. Love and prayers.
Erma and family, I am so sorry to hear of Donna’s passing. She was such a sweet lady and always had time to stop and visit when I saw her. She was so devoted to her family and you should all be so thankful for having a Mother/Grandmother like her. She will be missed. I wanted to be there for the funeral but health problems kept me from coming. I will try to see you when I come down for Memorial Day. Hang in there and know your friends do care.
We are sorry for your loss. Your Mom was such a great lady! So friendly and always smiling. Our daughter Amy has fond memories of her at the library too. We will miss her at Highmore Health. Hugs!
Donna was salt of the earth. She was always friendly and kind. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Fr.David Axtmann
Dear Erma and family, you have our deepest sympathies in the loss of your mother, grandmother.
We have been keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. She was a kind lady with a great sense of humor. May God be with you as you grieve her loss. Jean and Justina