Heinze, Helen W.

Helen W. Heinze, 97, of Amana, died Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services: 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at Amana Church, Amana, with Elder Harold Pitz officiating. Burial will be in East Amana Cemetery. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 20, at the Amana Church. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is in charge of arrangements.

Helene Wilhelmina Schaefer was born July 1, 1914, in East Amana, Iowa, to Elder Richard Friedrich Schaefer and Susanna (Pfeffer) Schaefer, and was the youngest of five children. Helen attended the Amana School and upon graduation in 1928, was assigned to work in the East Amana community kitchen. In 1932, after the Amana Society change, she began to work at the Amana Woolen Mill as a weaver. In 1934, she married Merle William Gaddis and had two children, Roger Duane and Patricia Ann. In 1939, she lost her husband Merle when he passed away following injuries suffered in an auto accident. Helen remained in her childhood home in East Amana and she and the children found comfort and joy in caring for her mother and father (White Opa). In 1946, she married Adolph Henry Heinze of Middle Amana, sharing a long and loving life together until his passing in 1990.

Helen's life emulated Amana's strong sense of family and community. She was a longtime volunteer at Colonial Manor Nursing Home as well as being a member of Amana's Welfare Association, Historical Society and the Eastern Star.

Those who knew Helen best, remember her for her giving heart, sharp wit and competitive Pinochle skills. Helen shared often that her life's greatest blessing was family and was so pleased to have had the chance to share the lives of her children's children (through five generations).

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her two brothers, Henry and Karl; her two sisters, Esther (Schaefer) Goerler and Elsie (Schaefer) Seifert; and husbands, Merle W. Gaddis and Adolph Heinze.

Helen is survived by her children, Roger Gaddis (and wife Pauline) of Plano, Texas, Patricia (Gaddis) Hergert (and husband Richard) of DeWitt, Iowa; grandchildren, Merle Gaddis (and wife Kelly) of Olathe, Kan., Thomas Hergert (and wife Judi) of Des Moines, Susan Hergert of Coralville, Robert Gaddis of Redondo Beach, Calif., Karen (Hergert) Bertolino (and husband Theron) of DeWitt, Melissa (Gaddis) Toohey (and husband Peter) of Plano, Texasand, Catherine (Hergert) Hentges (and husband Bruce) of St. Louis, Mo.; great-grandchildren, Jami (Hergert) Brown, Jeff Hergert, Melissa Gaddis, Brendan Toohey, Jacob Hergert, Katie Hergert, Sophia Toohey, Rachael Bertolino, Kristen Gaddis, Darcy Bertolino, Schaefer Toohey, Nicole Hentges and Peter Hentges; and great-great-grandchildren, Malory Shulberg and Amara Brown.

The family of Helen Heinze wishes to express our sincere thanks for your expressions of love during our time of bereavement.

Memorials may be contributed to the Amana Church, Goodwill Industries in Iowa City or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.klosterfuneralhome.com

Published April 19, 2012 in The Gazette