TOKHEIM, Helen Mary 1919-2006

TOKHEIM, DONAGHY, HAMILTON, HEINE, STEWART, KIESTER, RIENIETS

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 3/1/2014 at 23:46:55

[Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Sunday, July 2, 2006]

CEDAR FALLS - Helen Mary Tokheim, 86, of Western Home Communities Assisted Living, died of pulmonary fibrosis Friday, June 9, 2006, at her home.

She was born June 22, 1919, in rural Alleman. She married Chester D. Tokheim on Feb. 12, 1938, in Mexico, Mo. They celebrated 68 years of marriage. Helen graduated from East High School in Des Moines. She was a homemaker and mother in addition to working alongside her husband in their Des Moines bakery business for many years.

She and her husband retired to Ottumwa, later moving to Mountain Home, Ark. They came to Cedar Falls eight years ago to be closer to family and lived in their own home until this year.

Helen was an excellent cook and enjoyed fixing three meals a day for her family. She collected recipes and tried most of them. She also enjoyed making scrapbooks, quilt blocks, writing letters, clipping magazine articles and collecting handkerchiefs.

She is survived by her husband; an aunt, Ruth Donaghy of Alleman; a brother, Dwayne Hamilton (Joanie) of Maricopa, Ariz.; three daughters, Betty Heine of Cedar Falls, Barbara Stewart of Sarasota, Fla., and Mary (Mike) Kiester of Altoona; two former sons-in-law whom she loved, Bill Heine of Cedar Falls and Jim Rieniets of Bradenton, Fla. Her grandchildren are Bill Heine Jr. (Linda), Kristie Lehman (John), David Heine (Kirsten) of Decorah, John Andrew Heine of Rome, Italy, Chelon Rieniets of Sarasota, Jim Rieniets Jr. (Susie) of Nashville, Tenn., Todd Kiester of Comanche and Tyler Kiester (Beth) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She loved each of her 17 great-grandchildren. Helen appreciated all the acts of kindness and caring by their special Cedar Falls neighbors, Virgil and Doris Mauer.

Helen was cremated, according to her wishes, and will be buried in Lincoln Township Cemetery near Alleman. A memorial service for family and close friends will be conducted by Pastor Mark Eggleston in the chapel at the Western Home on Friday, July 7, at 11 a.m., followed by a noon barbecue at Windcove. Memorial gifts will be given to Cedar Valley Hospice in appreciation of the wonderful care they gave Helen and her family in the days before and following her death.