Joanne Heffern

JOANNE HEFFERN

Cedar Rapids

Joanne Heffern, 86, of Cedar Rapids, passed away

on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at Mercy Medical Center. Visitation: 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, July 12, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass: 9 a.m.

Tuesday, July 13, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Father Douglas Loecke. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Waukon. Following burial, family and friends are invited to a luncheon at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.

Friends and extended family are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Joan's Tribute Wall and share your support and memories with her family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.

Survivors include her children, Michael (Allison) Heffern, Debbie Ernst (Tom Heifner) and Denise (Lee) Votroubek, all of Cedar Rapids, and Kelly (Matthew) Peters of Plano, Texas; seven grandchildren, Stacy Ernst, Lance (Maggie) Votroubek, Sarah (James) Ernst Ware, Kyle (Laura) Votroubek, Graham (Soumya) Heffern, Nathan (Beth) Votroubek and Anna Heffern; and nine great-grandchildren. Also surviving are her twin sister, Jean Schulte of Cedar Rapids; brothers, Patrick (Ann) Fahey of La Crescent, Minn., and Jim (Cheryl) Fahey of Decorah; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Joan was born Aug. 7, 1934, in Waukon, Iowa, the daughter of Emmett and Beatrice (Magner) Fahey. She grew up on the family farm, enjoying being outdoors with her horses. Joan graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon. On Feb. 27, 1954, she married Donald Heffern.

Joan loved caring for her family and was proud of her Irish heritage. She was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church, where she worked in the daycare for a few years. Her love and kindness will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don; and son-in-law, David Ernst.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Employee Emergency Fund with the Mercy Medical Center Foundation.