Helene T. Heithoff

Mass of the Christian Burial for Helene Heithoff, age 97, of Manning, will be 10:30 AM, on Saturday, September 21, 2013, at Sacred Heart Church in Manning with Interment in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Manning. Helene's family will greet friends following services during the luncheon in the Sacred Heart Parish Hall. The Johnson & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Manning is in charge of arrangements.

Helene, daughter of Joseph and Margret (Werder) Herbers, was born January 23, 1916, on the family farm near Halbur, Iowa. She attended St. Augustine's School in Halbur, and graduated from the eighth grade. Helene then helped with the family dairy and worked part-time at Eischeid & Tiefenthaler Store in Halbur. Helene later completed her GED.

On January 28, 1942, Helene was united in marriage with Clarus Heithoff at St. Augustine's Church in Halbur. They made their home on a farm northeast of Dedham. That August, Clarus was drafted and served three years with the Army Military Police. During this time Helene worked as a nanny in an officer's home at Fort Des Moines. After peace was declared, Helene and Clarus moved Southeast of Manning to the present family farm which eventually became a Century Farm. When the children were a little older, Helene went to work for the U.S.D.A. as a meat inspector, retiring in 1983. Clarus died July 24, 1984. Helene remained on the farm until 2005, when she moved to an apartment in Manning.

In September of 2012, Helene entered the Manning Plaza Nursing Home where she died on Monday, September 2, 2013. She was ninety-seven years of age.

Helene was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Manning, American Legion Auxiliary (67 Years), Catholic Daughters of America, Manning Hospital & Plaza Auxiliary, Little Flower Study Club and Piece Makers Quilters. She enjoyed volunteering at the Manning Plaza, hospital snack bar, New Hope Bargain Store and the Hausbarn Gift Shop. Her hobbies included quilting, gardening, reading and traveling. In her later years, Helene took up the computer on which she enjoyed emailing her family and playing solitaire. She especially enjoyed having visits from family.

Helene is survived by her children: Diane Ploeger and husband Denny of Glidden; Bob Heithoff and wife Linda of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania; Kathy Smith and husband Mike of Anchorage, Alaska; Barbara Wittrock and husband David of San Francisco, California; Jodi Riesselman and husband Bob of Excelsior, Minnesota; 13 grandchildren: Brian, Doug and Cherie Riesberg; Andrea & Chris Heithoff and Erin Greb; Joe, Ben & Gabe Smith; Phillip & Andrew Wittrock; Graham Riesselman and Kenzie Woods; a step granddaughter: Kim Buelt; 11 great-grandchildren and one step great-grandson; three sisters: Margaret Petsche of Nebraska, Trudy Esser of West Des Moines, and Edna Dalhoff of Halbur; a sister-in-law Berdine Herbers of Las Vegas; other relatives and many friends.

Helene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a daughter Cheri at age 3 1/2, a son-in-law Dennis Riesberg, a sister Marie Rotert, a brother Orry Herbers, and four brothers-in-law: Joe Rotert, Roland Esser, Harold Petsche, and Elmer Dalhoff.