Josephine B. Heckendorf, age 95, entered eternal life on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at the Clark County Health Care Center in Owen, where she had resided for the past 2 years.
Jo was born on Nov. 25, 1915 in the town of Harrison, Lincoln County, the youngest child of Frank and Rose (Boykins) Van Strydonk. She married Michael Goulee in St. Augustine Catholic Church in Harrison on Jan. 6, 1934.
She belonged to and was a charter member of the St. Augustine’s Altar Society, and was very active in the parish. Jo and Mike owned and operated the Harrison Grocery Store from 1947-1957. Later, she was employed with Sacred Heart Hospital and Nelson’s Supermarket. After Mike died in 1969, she married Lester Heckendorf and resided in Merrill. She moved to Tomahawk in 1987 and was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church. Throughout her lifetime, Josephine had a large circle of close friends including her extended family, nieces, and nephews. She enjoyed card games, dancing, bowling, traveling, shopping, canning, baking, dining out, watching ball games, sewing and crocheting – gifting many with her crocheted items and her famous raisin cakes, candies, cookies, and fudge.
Jo had a special angel collection which many felt symbolized her charitable deeds throughout her lifetime. She was always ready to lend a helping hand. In recent years, many “angels” cared for Jo. The family is especially grateful for all who showed loving, compassionate care for her, including the staff at Golden Living Center – Riverview during her time there and also Clark County Health Care’s Alzheimer’s Unit.
Survivors include her son, Dennis (Joan) Goulee, Tomahawk; step son, Joel (Fran) Heckendorf, Merrill; step daughter-in-law, Marian Heckendorf, Merrill; grandchildren, Amy (Vince) Michalski, Mary (Joe) Koschnik, Patrick (Karen) Goulee, Katie (John) Kubisiak; step grandchildren, Lori (Glenn) Simonis, Mark (Beth) Heckendorf, Lisa (Mark) Gajewski, and Lee Heckendorf. Jo is further survived by great grandchildren, Alex, Isaac, and Mariah Michalski, Cade Koschnik, BryAnne Fish, Jane and Ben Kubisiak; step great grandchildren, Sky Sparks, Jamie and RaeAnn Dampier; and 6 step great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and husbands, Michael and Lester; 2 infant children; sisters Clementina and Daniella Verbist, Leona Kuypers, Pauline Haring, Agnes Wery, and Marie Terrance; brothers, Alphonse and Victor Van Strydonk; step great grandson, Grant Dampier; dear friend, Gordon ‘Butch’ Wee; and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 10, from St. Mary Catholic Church in Tomahawk. Fr. John Anderson will officiate. The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 9 from 4-7 p.m. at Krueger Family Funeral Home in Tomahawk, with a Remembrance Prayer Service to begin at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until the hour of Mass at 11 a.m. Burial will be at St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery in the Town of Harrison.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
View the obituary and send online condolences at: www.kruegerfamilyfuneral.com.