Lydia Heiniger

L ydia Marie (Ulmer) Heiniger, 99, of Bern died Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at the Crestview Manor in Seneca, Kansas.  Marie moved to Crestview Nursing Home in the spring of 2018 at the young age of 96.

Marie was born on July 19, 1921; the sixth of eight children born to Ernest Ulmer and Rose (Strahm) Ulmer at Bern, Kansas.  She graduated from Bern High School in 1939.

Marie helped on the family farm near Sabetha after high school as well as working jobs for neighbors, holding various jobs at different businesses in Sabetha and working in the kitchen at the Nemaha County Convalescent Home.  On June 6, 1945, she was united in marriage to Wilbur J. Heiniger.  Six children were born to this union.  The couple lived by Sabetha until the early 1950’s when they bought a farm between Bern and Seneca where they raises crops, hogs, chickens, cattle and dairy cattle.  They sold the farm and moved to Bern in 1983.  After moving to Bern to “Retire”, Wilbur and Marie were kept busy helping with M & M’s Grocery store, owned by their son Mark (Mavis) Heiniger, and keeping up with their grandkids.  Marie also worked at the Bern Café off and on over the years and babysat for many in the Bern community.  Marie was an active member of the Friedens United Church of Christ, holding many positions over the years, and a member of the Bern Legion Auxiliary.

Grandma Marie’s house was always open to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  If she wasn’t inside baking cookies or making homemade applesauce or some other treat, she could be found outside in her garden or tending to her flowers.  In the last few years when she lived in Bern she insisted that tomato plants still be planted in her garden even though she knew she was unable to tend to them.  She loved to play games and had a soft spot for marbles and cards.  She treasured spending time with her family.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Wilbur J. Heiniger in February of 1993; a daughter, Katherine Jo “Kath” Heiniger in April of 2015; granddaughter, Stacy Heiniger in June of 1993; daughter in law, Mavis (Streit) Heiniger in April of 2016; her brothers, Amos, Ernest, Raymond and Glen (Bill); sisters, Anna Ulmer, Lucille Moorhead and Emily Stone.

She is survived by her five children, Loren (Carol) Heiniger of Henderson, Nevada; son, Mark Heiniger of Bern, Kansas; daughter, Barb Heiniger of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter, Susan Shroyer of Topeka, Kansas; and son, Lynn (Angie) Heiniger of Topeka, Kansas; and seven grandchildren, Nicole Ewing, Leslie (Jared) Beer, Laura (Matt) Kmiec, Mallory (Dustin) Ensley, Brendon Shroyer, Lynzie (Rhett) Reynolds, and Lexie Heiniger; and 11 great-grandchildren, Jon Ross Ewing, Stacy Ewing, Kadyn Beer, Gavin Beer, Cooper Kmiec, Lilyana Kmiec, Reagan Ensley, Charlotte Ensley, Roman Ensley, Liam Reynolds and Raelynn Reynolds; two cousins, Erma Jean Wenger and Hal Strahm and many nieces and nephews and friends.

Funeral service will be held Monday, June 21, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at the Friedens United Church of Christ Church in rural Bern, Kansas.  A visitation will be held Sunday, June 20, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Popkess Memorial Chapel in Seneca, Kansas.  The body will lie in state after 12:00 p.m. on Sunday.  The interment will be made in the Friedens Church Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House or the Bern Library sent in care of Popkess Memorial Chapel, 814 Castle, Seneca, Kansas  66538.