Boston, Sharon Heichel (Ronnie) 1939-2013

HEICHEL, BOSTON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/12/2015 at 15:19:22

Sharon Heichel (Ronnie) Boston 1939 - 2013
Des Moines

Sharon was born April 30, 1939 in West Des Moines, Iowa, to Lyle and Neva Heichel. One of her closest childhood friends was also named Sharon, so to eliminate the resulting confusion they decided to split the name in half - the friend became Sherry, and Sharon became Ronnie, a nickname she kept for the rest of her life.

Ronnie was a Valley High Tiger. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1962 with a degree in embryology and from Iowa State University in 1970 with a degree in sociology. Still exploring, she later studied at ISU as an English major. Obviously the woman was interested in many fields of knowledge. She also had a wide career experience, working for Westinghouse in Dallas, Texas, and for Look Magazine in Des Moines before moving to Ames and becoming the long-time office manager of Collegiate Presbyterian Church. Other employers included the City of Ames and Youth and Shelter Services of Ames. Outside of work and school, her interests were equally varied. She was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and she loved to travel and camp with her former husband, Robert Boston, and with their daughter, Irish Boston. She worked on her potter's wheel, and she had an extensive collection of artwork, especially glassware. But her favorite pastimes were gardening and cooking. She was certified as a Master Gardener, and she enjoyed volunteering at the Iowa Arboretum. She loved cooking and preserving the food she grew. One of her favorite sayings was, "We eat what we can and we can what we can't."

In 2005, she moved to Urbandale and then to the retirement community at 3801 Grand in Des Moines, where she spent her final years. The family thanks the staff at 3801 Grand and at Wesley Life for their care and support during Ronnie's final days. Memorial services will be announced at a later date. Ronnie would appreciate donations to the Iowa Arboretum in lieu of flowers. ~ The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa 2 Mar 2013.