Heuston, Myrtle 1922-2014

HEUSTON, BARNES, NESLER, KOECHELER, FUSCO, JOHNSON, REEDER, BOND

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 6/10/2014 at 05:43:19

Myrtle Heuston died peacefully on May 16, 2014 in Boulder, Colorado surrounded by her family. She was born in Winneshiek County, Iowa, June 16, 1922 to Borghild and Magnus Barnes. She grew up with five siblings and many cousins, aunts, and uncles in a close knit Norwegian community.

After graduating from McKinley High School and Coe College in Cedar Rapids, she taught elementary science in Newton and Cedar Rapids schools. In 1949 Myrtle married Robert Heuston, a career Naval Officer and accompanied him to Truk Atoll in the South Pacific. During their eighteen months of duty, she taught native students English, nutrition, and basic science so they could go back to their respective islands and teach others. Later Navy assignments took the family to California, Mississippi, New York, London, England, Illinois and Washington, DC, where Robert retired in 1965 as Commander, USN.

Along the way, they had three children, Karen, Greg and Laura. The family moved to Evanston, IL in 1965 when Robert started a second career in hospital engineering. During that time, Myrtle was active in the League of Women Voters and was on the Board of the Evanston Environmental Association. She also served several years as the Chairman of Social Concerns at Covenant Methodist Church. In 1984 Myrtle and Robert built a retirement home on their farm in Johnson County, Iowa where they raised White Park cattle. They moved in 1998 to a condo in Cedar Rapids.

Robert passed away in 2004 and Myrtle moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2007 to be closer to her daughters and their families. She lived at Frasier Meadows Retirement Community and shared many happy times with her extended family.

Her children are forever grateful for the loving care that surrounded Myrtle at Frasier Meadows. Myrtle's interests included politics, reading, environmental issues, and her Norwegian heritage. She was a talented seamstress and creative in decorating and gardening. She loved being a grandmother. After moving to Frasier, she took up painting and received an award for a watercolor piece. She continues to inspire her family when we think of her resilience and determination in all her endeavors. She was dearly loved and will by missed by all who knew her.

Survivors include daughter Karen (Tom) Nesler of Fort Collins, CO, son Greg Heuston (Tricia) of Scottsdale, AZ, daughter Laura (Bob) Koecheler of Boulder, CO, grandchildren Laura (Justin) Fusco, Katie Koecheler, Amy Nesler, Steven Koecheler, and Carrie Nesler, great grandchildren Juliana and Holden Fusco.

Also surviving are sisters Gladys Johnson and Eleanor (Carl) Reeder and brothers Alf (Joan) Barnes and Norman (Donna) Barnes.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert of 55 years, her sister, Elsie Bond, and her parents, Borghild and Magnus Barnes.

A memorial service will be held in the Sky Lounge at Frasier Meadows Retirement Community Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. Inurnment will be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Memorial donations may be given to Frasier Meadows Retirement Community Employee Assistance Fund, 350 Ponca Place Boulder, CO 80303, Attn. K. Pollicita or U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Published in The Boulder Daily Camera on May 25, 2014
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailycamera/obituary.aspx?n=myrtle-heuston&pid=171118155&fhid=6726&eid=sp_ommatch#sthash.Wa6sxfUg.dpuf ~ The Des Moines Register Legacy, Des Moines, Iowa May, 2014.