Bernadette E Heilman

Bernadette Elenore Heilman, age 92, of La Crosse died November 11, 2019 at Gundersen Health System.

Bernadette was born on January 4, 1927 and raised on several farms in the Norwalk, WI area. Her parents were Bernard and Margaret (Rondorf) Leis. She married Robert Heilman, also from Norwalk, WI, on June 9, 1949. They were married 70 years last June and celebrated with their loving family.

Bernadette was the epitome of a perfect homemaker. She was very creative and she found much joy in sewing, gardening, refinishing and reupholstering furniture, cooking and baking. She was famous for her pies and angel food cakes with mocked whipped cream frosting. They were a staple at every birthday party and holiday.
She was also a huge fan of baseball and football, cheering on her beloved Brewers and Packers. For many years, she and Bob were season ticket holders for the Loggers.

Bernadette is survived by her beloved husband, Bob. They took care of each other for many years and would not leave her earthly home until promised that Bob would be taken care of. She is further survived by her son Steve and favorite daughter-in-law Frankie Heilman; Steve and Frankie’s son, Tony Heilman, his wife Danielle and their sons Nicholas, Peyton and Noah; their daughter Katherine Heilman and her husband Devin Proctor and their children Eleanora and Bruno Proctor. Bernadette is also survived by her daughter Debbie Colgan and favorite son-in-law Tim Colgan; Debbie and Tim’s son Christopher Colgan; and daughter Kelly Colgan Hammen, husband Derek Hammen and their son Calvin Hammen. She is also survived by her brother (who she lovingly called her baby brother) and sister-in-law Jerome and Pam Leis; brother-in-law Lyle Karis; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Don and Marilyn Heilman and sister-in-law Theresa Tomsicek.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob’s parents, Lawrence and Mercedes Heilman, brother and sister-in-laws Norbert (Esther) Leis and Francis (Joan) Leis, sister Juliana Karis, sister and brother-in-law Florentina (Vic ) Doll, sister-in-law LaVonne Leis, brother-in-law Harlan Heilman and brother-in-law Clifford Tomsicek.

A mass of Christian burial will be Friday, November 15th at 10:30 am at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 1333 13th St. S. La Crosse WI.
Father Rick Roberts will officiate. Burial will be at the Norwalk Cemetery at a later date. Friends and family may call at the church before mass on Nov. 15th from 9-10:30.

Memorials can be made to Holy Trinity Endowment Trust or Gundersen Medical Foundation.

We would love to thank Sheila and David Momont, Suzanne Falkenberry, Mike Joley, the staff on the 6th floor of Gundersen Health System and the 2nd floor staff and kitchen staff at Springbrook in La Crescent for their kindness and compassion with Bernadette throughout the years and these very difficult past few weeks. There are definitely angels on earth. Bernadette was one of them and now she is our angel in heaven.