Olivia Heim

Olivia Barbara (Kanz) Heim passed away peacefully on January 28, 2024 at Chosen Valley Care Center, where she spent her final days surrounded by her loving family. Olivia was born November 17, 1934 at Winona General Hospital to Bernard and Lucille (Kohner) Kanz. She grew up in Lewiston, MN, and as a young girl participated in 4-H, Girl Scouts, church choir, and did babysitting for many families around town. For fun, she went to movies, roller skating, bowling, dances and ballgames. Olivia graduated from Lewiston High School in 1953, where she was a majorette, played drums in the band, sang in the school choir, and was in the class play. After graduation, she worked at Stevenson's in Winona, and The Minnesota Butane and Equipment Company in Lewiston. She met her future husband and the love of her life, Thomas Heim, and they were married on July 16, 1955, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Lewiston, with Fr. J. Alan McShane presiding. They made their home on a dairy farm north of St. Charles and raised six wonderful children. Olivia's greatest accomplishment in life was becoming a mother and raising their children in the Catholic Faith following the guidance of their parents and grandparents.
 
 Olivia always had a large garden and strawberry patch and spent many hours canning and freezing fruits and vegetables to be used the following winter months. She was an excellent cook and baker, and always looked for a reason to set a beautiful table to treat family and friends to a delicious meal.  She baked and decorated birthday cakes for all of her children's birthdays, and decorated cutout cookies for every holiday imaginable. Olivia had quite a talent, and the cookie jar was always full! She loved her flower gardens, reading, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and watching movies. She was an avid bowler, card player, and loved dancing with Tom across many dance floors. Olivia and Tom traveled to all 50 states, and went on cruises in the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, and Alaska. They also visited many National Parks and enjoyed sporting events and music activities their children and grandchildren participated in.
 
 Olivia was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, St. Anne's Rosary Society, and St. Rita's Unit, and was a Charter Member of the Women of the Moose #775. She was a former member in the Mrs. Jaycees, Meals on Wheels, Old Settlers of Winona County, Catholic Financial, and One 4 Fun Study Group.
 
 After retiring from farming, Olivia and Tom and their two youngest children moved to Cresco Iowa from 1986-1997 where Tom worked for Archer Petroleum of Omaha, Nebraska. In Cresco they joined St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Olivia became a member of the Altar and Rosary Society, the New Friends of Cresco Club, and the Chamber of Commerce. She worked for Cresco Family Dentistry, Notre Dame Catholic School, and Kessel Kids Daycare Center.  After Tom retired from Archer, they moved back to St. Charles.
 
 Olivia is survived by her six children, Allyn (Valerie), Dale (Marie Samuelson), Jayne (Alan) Ihrke, Dennis (Wendy), Scott (Tricia), and Karen (Mikel) Walters, 16 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Donna (Pat) Daley, and Mary Paszkiewicz, three sisters-in-law, Betty Kanz, Nadine Kanz, and Shirley Heim, and two brothers-in-law, Darrell Sturgis and John Mayzek. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom, January 25, 2022. Two infant children, Teresa and Philip; her mother and father, mother and father-in-law, grandson Randy Heim, infant granddaughter Erica Heim; three sisters, Betty Younger, Geraldine Sturgis, and Bernadine Mayzek: three brothers, Robert, Thomas, and Richard; three brothers-in-law, Oliver Younger, James Paszkiewicz, and Kenneth Heim; and one sister-in-law, Janet Kanz; niece Pat Beighley, and nephews Tom and Joe Sturgis

A Funeral Mass for Olivia will be 11 a.m. Saturday, February 3, 2024 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church with the Reverend Jonathan Fasnacht officiating.  A visitation will be at the church from 4-7 pm Friday and 10 – 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, St. Charles. Hoff Funeral Service of St. Charles is assisting the family with arrangements. www.hofffuneral.com.