L. Roger Heller
April 11, 1935 — January 17, 2015
Leonard Roger Heller was born on April 11, 1935 to Leonard and Lucille (Hanrahan) Heller in Buck Grove, Iowa. He was baptized at Scared Heart Catholic Church in Manilla, Iowa, and later became a member at St. Peter’s Parish in Defiance, Iowa. He attended country school near Buck Grove through the eighth grade.
Roger was united in marriage to Phyllis Wilwerding on December 28, 1957 in Logan, Iowa. They were blessed with three children: Jannette, Janet, and Ken.
Roger was inducted into the United States Army on November 14, 1956 and served at Fort Bliss, Texas, obtaining his honorable discharge on November 13, 1958. After returning to Iowa, he began his farming career in the Defiance area. He worked for Wigness from 1967 to 1969, was maintenance supervisor at World Wide Dubuque Pack, and worked for McClellan Electric in Denison.
He loved to socialize and play cards, especially Pitch and Euchre. He could be found at the Denison Sale Barn every Saturday, unless the family was camping, which they did a lot. He enjoyed watching his favorite NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt and now Dale, Jr. A highlight of his life was when he went to a NASCAR race two years ago in Phoenix with his son Ken and grandkids.
Roger died on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-nine years, nine months, and six days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Phyllis in 2010 (three years after celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary), and his brothers Joseph, Louis, and William Heller.
He is survived by his daughters Jannette and her husband Bob Bogler of Harlan, Iowa; Janet and her husband Jeff Theulen of Defiance, Iowa; son Ken Heller and his wife Christiane of Killeen, Texas; his grandchildren Kyle Bogler and his fiancé Kate Poeltler, Brett Bogler, Cory Bogler, Kim and her husband Andy Zahn, Stacy and her husband Ray Wellman, Todd Theulen and his fiancé Marisa Swoboda, and Sina Heller; five great-grandchildren Cole, Kenzie, Joslyn, Haley and Reagan; siblings: Mary and her husband Jim Hermeling of Manilla, Iowa, Paul Heller of Carroll, Iowa, Maxine and her husband Jim Whelchel of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Helen and her husband Denny Freund of Earling, Iowa, Bernard Heller and his wife Connie of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Agnes and her husband Dave Pursell of Sun City Center, Florida, LaVonne and her husband Terry Schulte of Westphalia, Iowa, Jim Heller and his wife Mary of Manilla, Iowa and Tom Heller of Defiance, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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Roger was united in marriage to Phyllis Wilwerding on December 28, 1957 in Logan, Iowa. They were blessed with three children: Jannette, Janet, and Ken.
Roger was inducted into the United States Army on November 14, 1956 and served at Fort Bliss, Texas, obtaining his honorable discharge on November 13, 1958. After returning to Iowa, he began his farming career in the Defiance area. He worked for Wigness from 1967 to 1969, was maintenance supervisor at World Wide Dubuque Pack, and worked for McClellan Electric in Denison.
He loved to socialize and play cards, especially Pitch and Euchre. He could be found at the Denison Sale Barn every Saturday, unless the family was camping, which they did a lot. He enjoyed watching his favorite NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt and now Dale, Jr. A highlight of his life was when he went to a NASCAR race two years ago in Phoenix with his son Ken and grandkids.
Roger died on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, Iowa, having attained the age of seventy-nine years, nine months, and six days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Phyllis in 2010 (three years after celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary), and his brothers Joseph, Louis, and William Heller.
He is survived by his daughters Jannette and her husband Bob Bogler of Harlan, Iowa; Janet and her husband Jeff Theulen of Defiance, Iowa; son Ken Heller and his wife Christiane of Killeen, Texas; his grandchildren Kyle Bogler and his fiancé Kate Poeltler, Brett Bogler, Cory Bogler, Kim and her husband Andy Zahn, Stacy and her husband Ray Wellman, Todd Theulen and his fiancé Marisa Swoboda, and Sina Heller; five great-grandchildren Cole, Kenzie, Joslyn, Haley and Reagan; siblings: Mary and her husband Jim Hermeling of Manilla, Iowa, Paul Heller of Carroll, Iowa, Maxine and her husband Jim Whelchel of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Helen and her husband Denny Freund of Earling, Iowa, Bernard Heller and his wife Connie of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Agnes and her husband Dave Pursell of Sun City Center, Florida, LaVonne and her husband Terry Schulte of Westphalia, Iowa, Jim Heller and his wife Mary of Manilla, Iowa and Tom Heller of Defiance, Iowa; other family members and friends.
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