Anita Heemer

Anita Ruth Heemer, age 71 years of Niles, Michigan died peacefully at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 with family gathered around at her home following a four week battle against cancer.

She was born on October 21, 1946 in Goshen, Indiana to Daniel and Ruth (Mann) Warble. She was graduated from the former New Paris (Indiana) High School; earned a Bachelor’s degree from Bethel College in Goshen, Indiana; and earned a Master’s degree from Michigan State University (East Lansing). She taught at Eastside Elementary School and Ballard Elementary School, and was retired from Niles Community Schools after thirty-one years of service.

Anita was a member of the Berrien Center (Michigan) Bible Church; was President of the Four Flags Garden Club, a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International of women educators, and an auxiliary of the South Berrien Camp of Gideons International. She volunteered with the Niles Community Gardens’ Westside location, and enjoyed maintaining gardens at home which include heritage plants from several generations, and herbs for her kitchen. She was a master of the classic homemaking arts, including the garden, and her kitchen where she baked amazing cinnamon rolls and the finest french bread, sewing and tailoring clothing, and calligraphy.

On August 26, 1968 at the United Missionary Church in New Paris she married Arthur Richard Heemer with whom she was looking forward – next month - to the remarkable Fiftieth Anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes her husband, Richard Heemer and her sisters, Evelyn (& John) Leyes of Osceola, Indiana, and twins Donna Warble of Angola, Indiana and Diana (& Mark) Leamon of Ligonier, Indiana; Richard’s sisters, Carolyn Kelly of Fraser, Michigan, Joyce (& John) Ostrowski of Cassopolis, Michigan, and Kathy (& David) Pendzinski of Granger, Indiana; his sister-in-law, Jenny Heemer of Walkerton, Indiana and brother-in-law, David Lankard of Utica, Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Daniel Warble and Ruth Mann Warble, and by a sister-in-law, Nancy Lankard, and brother-in-law, Arthur Michael David Heemer.

The funeral service for Anita Heemer will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 6, 2018 at the Berrien Center Bible Church, 8830 M-140, Berrien Center, Michigan with the Rev. Bill Zebell of the church officiating. Committal will be private, later, at Mission Hills.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Contributions in memory of Anita may be made to the Berrien Center Bible Church; or to the South Berrien County Gideons; or to the Four Flags Garden Club. Online condolences may be left at: www.halbritterwickens.com