Rita Heidgerken

Rita Heidgerken, age 65 of Freeport, died Friday, October 14, 2005 at the Melrose Area Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 18 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport. Rev. Roger Klassen, OSB will officiate with interment following in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church in Freeport. Freeport Senior Citizens and Christian Mothers will pray at 4 p.m. followed by Freeport Lions Club at 7 p.m. and parish prayers at 8 p.m. Monday evening at the church in Freeport.

Rita Heidgerken was born June 21, 1940 in Freeport, Minnesota to Lawrence and Julitta (Pundsack) Blommel. On October 20, 1962 she married Dennis Heidgerken at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport. The couple resided in St. Louis Park and Rita was employed as a nurse at Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis. In 1970 they moved to Freeport. She was a nurse at Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose for almost 30 years. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Christian Mothers.Rita was active in her church, an avid reader, enjoyed knitting and was very proud of her nursing career.

Survivors include her husband, Dennis Heidgerken of Freeport; four children, Craig Heidgerken of St. Cloud, Todd Heidgerken of Morgan, Lee (Kara) Heidgerken of Minneapolis and Jill (Mike) Nielsen of Waconia; one grandson, Daniel Nielsen; brothers and sisters, Roger (Althea) Blommel of Plymouth, Audrey Grose of Brooklyn Park, David Blommel of Minneapolis, Delores (Paul) Linkert of Lakeville and Arthur (Cathy) Blommel of Bloomington.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Serving as casket bearers will be Craig, Todd, Lee and Pete Heidgerken, Mike Nielsen and Jim Obermiller. Cross bearer will be Harold Hoppe and honorary bearers will be Kathy and Margaret Atkinson, Elaine Beuning, Irene Obermiller, Ethel and Dorothy Middendorf, Donna and Alice Hoeschen and Arliss Notch.