Grace M. Heitzman

Funeral Mass for Grace Muriel Heitzman, 93, of Virginia, formerly of Hutter, will be at 11am Friday, June 6, 2025 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gilbert with Fr. David Forsman as celebrant. Visitation will be Thursday from 4-6pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert and will continue for one hour prior to the mass at church on Friday. Burial will be in the Biwabik Township Cemetery immediately following the service. A luncheon will be served in the basement of the church following the burial.

Grace died Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Carefree Assisted Living in Virginia, Minnesota.

She was born November 28, 1931 in Downer, Minnesota to Charles and Ella (McColgin) Cook. Grace was a graduate of Barnesville High School and later married Ralph Heitzman on March 11, 1950 in Moorhead, Minnesota.

In 1951, they moved to the Iron Range and lived in Gilbert and Zim. In 1955, the family bought a 40-acre farm in Hutter. Grace was a homemaker who made the best homemade bread, enjoyed making plastic canvas calendars and other craft items with Ralph, and watching her favorite baseball team, The MN Twins. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Parish and served as an election clerk for the Gilbert School District and the Biwabik Township.

Grace moved to Virginia on October 26, 2017 and resided at Carefree Assisted Living until her passing. She loved her apartment, the staff and her favorite activity was playing BINGO.

Survivors include her children: Joe (Bubs) of Gilbert, Sharon Hakkila of Britt, Janice (Louie) Gentile of Gilbert, Richard (Joanne) of Gilbert, Sherwin (Lanette) of Kingman, AZ, Connie (Mike) Walz of Eveleth, Shirley (Todd) Leoni of Lakeland, Char (Willy) Ferkul of Lake Vermilion and JoAnn (Brian) Mohar of Wolf Creek, MT; 18 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; brother, Curt (Dorothy) Cook of Dilworth and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Ella; husband, Ralph; son-in-law, James Hakkila; brothers: Walt, Ken and Duane; sisters, Dorothy in infancy and Amy Jean; grandchildren: Jamie and Eric and a great grandson, Gavin.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Virginia Carefree Assisted Living for their loving care of Grace for the last 7+ years and the staff from Moments Hospice who cared for her during the last several months.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in honor of Grace to Virginia Carefree Assisted Living or Moments Hospice.