Vander Heiden, Jacqueline Maxine (Mehanna) 1916-2007

VANDER HEIDEN, MEHANNA, EVANS, DINGEMAN

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/26/2008 at 19:46:01

Jacqueline Maxine Mehanna was born on July 14, 1916, near Oskaloosa, Iowa. She was an only child born to the late Franklin and Gladys Evans Mehanna. Jaci, as she became known, attended the Oskaloosa Public Schools where she graduated from high school. As a young girl she worked in a restaurant in Oskaloosa and continued living west of there until the time of her marriage.

On December 1, 1937, she was united in marriage with Lester Charles Vander Heiden, a son of the late Martin and Elizabeth Dingeman Vander Heiden. To this union one son, Fred Martin Vander Heiden, was born. Jaci and Les lived in Pella, Iowa where he worked as a masonry contractor for over 50 years. The trade which Les learned from his father, Martin, was passed on to their son, Fred, who later became the owner of Vander Heiden Masonry which is still in operation today.

Jaci and Les lived all their married lifetime in the same neighborhood in Pella and then into a home he had built with concrete block at 907 West Third Street. Les passed away on February 28, 1987 at the age of 76 years. Following his death Jaci continued living in their home until becoming a resident at Jefferson Place in Pella in the fall of 2005.

In May of 2006 she became a resident at the Griffin Nursing Center in Knoxville, Iowa where she passed away on Thursday evening, February 1, 2007. She attained the age of 90 years, 6 months and 17 days.

Jaci is survived by her son, Fred M. Vander Heiden of Pella; a grandson Ted Alan Vander Heiden and his wife, Lori; and three special great-grandchildren, Mikayla, age 7 years, and twin boys, Travis and Tyler, age 3 years all of Winterset, Iowa; and the following nieces and nephews: Beverly Gingery of Roseburg, Oregon and Yvonne Floden of Pella and Robert Vander Heiden of Chatham, Illlinois, Marion Vander Heiden, Jr. and Ronald Vander Heiden both of Pella.

Jaci was preceded in death by her husband, Lester C. Vander Heiden; her daughter-in-law, Jane Ann (Lockard) Vander Heiden, who passed away on a Thursday evening, January 5, 1995, at the age of just 53 years; her parents, Frank and Gladys Mehanna; her step-fathers, Charles and Arthur Braningham; a sister-in-law, Alice Vander Heiden; and two brothers-in-law: Marion and Raymond Vander Heiden.

Jaci was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Pella and enjoyed gardening and raising flowers.

For those desiring memorials may be designated for the First Baptist Church of Pella.

The Pella Chronicle, March 5, 2007