Betty (Heimer) Walsh, 92

Published 10:14 am Monday, October 5, 2015

Betty (Heimer) Walsh, 92, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015, at Mayo Health System-Austin.

Betty (Heimer) Walsh

Betty was born Sept. 25, 1923, in Stacyville, Iowa, to Anton (Tony) and Julia (Goergen) Heimer. She grew up on a farm on the Minnesota and Iowa state border with German as a primary language prior to attending school in Johnsburg and Adams, Minnesota.

In 1940, Betty met Roger — the young man who became “the love of her life,” and waited for him for over five years while he served in the military during WWII. Upon his return, Roger and Betty married Sept. 29, 1945. They were never apart again until Roger passed away on May 24 of this year. This past Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, would have been their 70th wedding anniversary.

Betty moved to Austin during the war to work at Hormel in the “dairy pack” department, and continued there until the birth of her first child. Most importantly she was the mother to seven children. Betty balanced this role while also working at the Dinner Bell restaurant and for many years at Landherr Drug Store.

She was a member and active volunteer of Queen of Angels for over 50 years until later joining the parish of St. Augustine. She was an active member of the Sacred Heart Auxiliary until her death, and over her life time volunteering there brought her great joy.

Betty was an avid gardener, with large plots of both vegetables and flowers, sharing this bounty with neighbors, family and clergy over the years. In addition, Betty and Roger traveled extensively with multiple trips to Europe, most US states including Hawaii and Alaska, across Canada and the Caribbean islands. One trip they recalled most vividly was being in Cuba on New Year’s eve 1959, returning just one day prior to the fall of that country to the Castro led revolution.

Betty is survived by four daughters and two sons: Nancy (Craig) Welken, Plymouth, Daryl (Susan) Walsh, Plymouth, Gayle (Michael Martello) Walsh, Pacific Grove, California, Allyn (Sheila) Walsh, Rochester, Sarah (Mike) Landherr, Austin, Jayne (Mark) Schneider, Apple Valley; 14 grandchildren, and nine great-children; as well as brothers: Herbert Heimer, Coon Rapids, and Dennis Heimer, Mazeppa; and sister Mary Thome, Adams; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her beloved spouse Roger; by her parents; daughter Janel; grandson Alex; four brothers; and one sister.

A memorial mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, at St. Augustine Catholic Church with Father Jim Steffes officiating. There will be a visitation at Mayer Funeral Home on Tuesday evening where friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:45 p.m. Visitation also will be held one hour before the service at the church on Wednesday. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to St. Augustine Church, Queen of Angels Church, Sacred Heart Care Center, or a charity of donor’s choice. Condolences may be left online at www.mayerfh.com.