Edna Eileen Heiden
June 17, 1929 — December 4, 2017
Edna “Eileen” Heiden beloved mother and grandmother passed away peacefully at Crawford County Memorial Hospital on December 4, 2017 surrounded by her family. She had attained the age of 88 years, 5 months and 17 days.
Eileen was born on June 17, 1929, one of six children to Dennis and Edna McNertney Griffin of Buck Grove, Ia.
She married Glen Heiden on May 11, 1950 and they made their home on the family farm south of Denison where they operated Heiden Farms with Glen’s mother, Ella. To supplement income, Glen sold farm machinery for Owatonna Manufacturing Company. Glen was away weeknights leaving Eileen and Ella to oversee the farming operations and childrearing duties fell on Eileen’s shoulders. As one can imagine, raising 4 sons and a daughter was not an easy task and frankly must have been exhausting at times. No matter, she loved each of them unconditionally and was always at their sides celebrating accomplishments, encouraging them to achieve all that they could and providing support and love in difficult times.
When Glen passed away suddenly in 1971, Eileen went to work at Anthony’s and the Vault Clothing stores while she continued to manage the farm with her mother in law.
Eileen was involved in local, county and state politics. She served on the Crawford County Board of Supervisors. To date, she is the only woman to serve on the Board and was one of the first women in Iowa to chair a county board of supervisors. In 1995, she ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Iowa State Senate. Eileen also served in the Older Iowans legislature as a board member and a delegate from Crawford County. She was one of the leading advocates visiting the Governor and state legislators to work for passage of legislation to provide for a quality of life for all of Iowa’s seniors. She also served for many years on the Elderbridge Area Agency on Aging.
Eileen loved her community and stayed involved throughout her life. She was a member of the Denison Rotary Club. She held numerous leadership roles at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church including serving as a Board member on the Church Council. She was a prayer partner at St Rose of Lima School. She was famous notably for her delicious banana bread (a recipe passed down from her mother) and her date cookies baked for the annual Christmas cookie walk. She also volunteered at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital Gift Shop. She was a lifelong supporter of all sports activities held in the Denison Community School District.
She was proud of her Irish heritage and made several trips to Ireland to visit her cousins. She loved the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Denison and enthusiastically participated every year.
Eileen cherished most her time with family and relished the time spent with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She attended almost every activity and event they participated in - cheering and encouraging them - each she loved uniquely and each gave her such great joy. Actually, she fell and broke her hip in September while leaving a grandson’s high school football game in Denison.
She was a lifelong member of the Sunshine Club. This club has been meeting for decades and as a young child she vividly remembers accompanying her mother, who was also a member, to the monthly club meetings.
Eileen was the matriarch of the Heiden family. God, Country and family were the core values she has passed on to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents Dennis and Edna, her husband, Glen and brothers, Laurence, Joe and Clement Griffin.
Survivors include her five children: William of Grimes, IA; Jerry (Jean) of Denison, IA; Patricia of Iowa City, IA; Jay (Kim) and John (Shauna) of Denison. IA; Melvin Schechinger, special friend and companion for many years and daughter in law, June Heiden of Ames, IA; 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; sisters: Denice Watje of Denison, IA and Theresa Rohwer of Cleveland, OH and sister-in-law, Betty Griffin of Denison, IA; other relatives and many, many friends.
Memorials are requested to the St. Rose of Lima Catholic School and the Crawford County Memorial Hospital.
Eileen was born on June 17, 1929, one of six children to Dennis and Edna McNertney Griffin of Buck Grove, Ia.
She married Glen Heiden on May 11, 1950 and they made their home on the family farm south of Denison where they operated Heiden Farms with Glen’s mother, Ella. To supplement income, Glen sold farm machinery for Owatonna Manufacturing Company. Glen was away weeknights leaving Eileen and Ella to oversee the farming operations and childrearing duties fell on Eileen’s shoulders. As one can imagine, raising 4 sons and a daughter was not an easy task and frankly must have been exhausting at times. No matter, she loved each of them unconditionally and was always at their sides celebrating accomplishments, encouraging them to achieve all that they could and providing support and love in difficult times.
When Glen passed away suddenly in 1971, Eileen went to work at Anthony’s and the Vault Clothing stores while she continued to manage the farm with her mother in law.
Eileen was involved in local, county and state politics. She served on the Crawford County Board of Supervisors. To date, she is the only woman to serve on the Board and was one of the first women in Iowa to chair a county board of supervisors. In 1995, she ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Iowa State Senate. Eileen also served in the Older Iowans legislature as a board member and a delegate from Crawford County. She was one of the leading advocates visiting the Governor and state legislators to work for passage of legislation to provide for a quality of life for all of Iowa’s seniors. She also served for many years on the Elderbridge Area Agency on Aging.
Eileen loved her community and stayed involved throughout her life. She was a member of the Denison Rotary Club. She held numerous leadership roles at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church including serving as a Board member on the Church Council. She was a prayer partner at St Rose of Lima School. She was famous notably for her delicious banana bread (a recipe passed down from her mother) and her date cookies baked for the annual Christmas cookie walk. She also volunteered at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital Gift Shop. She was a lifelong supporter of all sports activities held in the Denison Community School District.
She was proud of her Irish heritage and made several trips to Ireland to visit her cousins. She loved the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Denison and enthusiastically participated every year.
Eileen cherished most her time with family and relished the time spent with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She attended almost every activity and event they participated in - cheering and encouraging them - each she loved uniquely and each gave her such great joy. Actually, she fell and broke her hip in September while leaving a grandson’s high school football game in Denison.
She was a lifelong member of the Sunshine Club. This club has been meeting for decades and as a young child she vividly remembers accompanying her mother, who was also a member, to the monthly club meetings.
Eileen was the matriarch of the Heiden family. God, Country and family were the core values she has passed on to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents Dennis and Edna, her husband, Glen and brothers, Laurence, Joe and Clement Griffin.
Survivors include her five children: William of Grimes, IA; Jerry (Jean) of Denison, IA; Patricia of Iowa City, IA; Jay (Kim) and John (Shauna) of Denison. IA; Melvin Schechinger, special friend and companion for many years and daughter in law, June Heiden of Ames, IA; 14 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; sisters: Denice Watje of Denison, IA and Theresa Rohwer of Cleveland, OH and sister-in-law, Betty Griffin of Denison, IA; other relatives and many, many friends.
Memorials are requested to the St. Rose of Lima Catholic School and the Crawford County Memorial Hospital.
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