Heffernen, Elaine L.

Elaine L. Heffernen, 75, of Manchester, died Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010. at her home following a long illness. Funeral mass: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Manchester, with Father John Flaherty officiating. Visitation: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with a 3 p.m. Scripture service, at the Bohnenkamp–Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester. Additional visitation 10 a.m. to service time Wednesday at the church. Burial: St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Monti, Iowa.

She is survived by her husband, Richard; six children, Richard (Renee) Heffernen of Toney, Ala., Daniel (Cheryl) Heffernen of Altoona, Kristine (Troy) McArthur of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Paul (Liz) Heffernen of Manchester, Iowa, John (Lorrie) Heffernen and Mark Heffernen of Palo; 23 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, LaVerne (Phyllis) Lentz of Aurora, and Leon (Janice) Lentz of Fayette; six sisters, Julita (Norbert) Goedken of Lamont, Mary (Sam) Ridenour of Arlington, Madonna (John) Albright of Dundee, Wanda (Gene) Heitz of Aurora, Vina Murphy of Marion, and Teresa (John) Nennig of Independence; and many nieces and nephews.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents.

Elaine was born Oct. 18, 1935, in Ogden, Iowa, the daughter of Frances I. and Lorraine E. (Steffen) Lentz. As a child, Elaine lived on farms around Ogden and Des Moines, before moving to the family farm west of Aurora in 1945. She graduated from Stanley High School in 1954. On August 3, 1957, Elaine was united in marriage to Richard L. Heffernen at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lamont. The couple moved to Manchester in 1959. Elaine attended Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids and Marycrest College in Davenport. She earned her B.S. in Education from Mount Mercy in 1968. She taught at Monti Consolidated School, St. Mary's School and West Delaware (Ryan and Lambert).

Elaine was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Manchester, where she served on the parish council for three years. She was a lector, Eucharistic minister, sacristan and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, where she held offices as regent, treasurer and state district deputy. She was a Script and St. Mary's School volunteer and served on the St. Mary's/Xavier Alumni and St. Mary's Historical Committees. Elaine belonged to the American Cancer Society, IPERS, WDEA, NEA and Arc for many years. She enjoyed sewing, playing cards, traveling and spending time with her grandchildren and attending their activities.

Please sign the online guest book for Elaine at under obituaries.

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