Heitland, Dorothy R. (1926-2017)
HEITLAND, SMITH, DORENBUSH, TIMM, FRANCK, MOREHOUSE, HEMKER-PATZNER, CHARLEMANGE, NEUBAUER, HONKEN
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 11/30/2017 at 15:15:29
Dorothy R. Heitland
August 2, 1926 - October 25, 2017A daughter of John and Grace (Dorenbush) Smith, Dorothy Rose Heitland was born on August 2, 1926, in Buffalo Center. On March 9, 1945, she married Alfred Heitland at the First Congregational Church in Forest City. They shared over fifty-five years of marriage together before Al passed away on June 23, 2001.
Dorothy spent most of her life in Buffalo Center. She attended school there and graduated in 1943. Her first job was at Allis Chalmers for a few short years, and she later worked at Winnebago in the Window Department for ten years. She and Al belonged to the First Congregational Church in Buffalo Center. If you were to take Dorothy on a ride through town, she could tell you story after story from her very full life and all the history she had witnessed there.
Quite athletic in her younger years, Dorothy, often, remarked how she could compete with the boys in many sports and wished that her school had had a girls' sports program. Nonetheless, she found other ways to compete and stay active. She, especially, liked golfing, playing softball, roller-skating, and bowling. She, also, enjoyed watching sports, particularly if one of her favorite teams was playing: the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, or Minnesota Twins.
Dorothy treasured her faith in Jesus Christ above all else. She, truly, knew the meaning of the phrase to "seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33), and she loved to spend time praying to and worshiping God. Indeed, she made a practice of reading through her entire Bible each year for as long as she was able and spent extra time pouring over the sections about Heaven. She longed to get a glimpse of what it would be like when she finally got to see Jesus face to face, and she loved to talk about what she learned and how she imagined Heaven. Those that knew her well could hardly think of Dorothy without also thinking about Heaven and its ruler, King Jesus. She wished with all strength that all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren after them would come to know Jesus in the same personal way that she did and be reunited with her again in Heaven one day. Her incredible faith has left a legacy for many. Without doubt, the words of the Apostle Paul can also be applied to Dorothy: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). How beautiful must she look in that crown today!
Those left to cherish her memory include her sons, Tim (Joyce) Heitland, of Buffalo Center, and Jeff (Bev) Heitland, of Winona, Minnesota; a daughter, Jorja (Bob) Timm, of Iowa Falls; her grandchildren: Kelsey (Choupa) Charlemagne; Derek (Jess) and Steven Franck; Ashley, Jeremy (Carissa), Josh (Janna), Mike (Bobbi), Seth (Keely), Shawn, and Steve (Lori) Heitland; Sarah (Ross) Hemker-Patzner; Lisa (Andy) Morehouse; Jessica (Tim) Neubauer; and Jacklyn Timm; eighteen great-grandchildren; and a brother, Billy (Elsie) Smith, of Buffalo Center; as well as many nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death are her husband, Al; her parents; a son, Michael A. Heitland; a brother, Johnny Smith; and two sisters, Margaret Honken and Marion Heitland.
A graveside service will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at Graceland Cemetery, Buffalo Center.
Oakcrest Funeral Services ~ Winter Chapel, Buffalo Center, Iowa, 2017.
Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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