Mary Heiney

Mrs. Mary Frances (Batchelor) Heiney, age 89, of Buchanan, passed away Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at Clark Retirement Community, Grand Rapids after a brief but valiant battle with cancer. The daughter of Newton Wyman & Marjorie Frances (Phillips) Batchelor she was born May 28, 1928 in Niles. A devoted wife married to her loving husband, Robert (Bob) Heiney for nearly 70 years. She graduated from Buchanan High School in 1947. Mary held various jobs within the Buchanan community but her most memorable were as a Media Aide for H.C. Stark Elementary School library from which she retired after 17+ years. During retirement, Mary enjoyed exploring 49 of the 50 states, pulling an Airstream trailer through many of the state and national parks in the US and Canada with relatives and friends. Mary enjoyed many activities throughout her lifetime. She was a passionate gardener, sharing her labor and love for her flower gardens with many. She was a talented seamstress, needle-pointer, and quilter. She was also the craftiest one of her siblings; being Pinterest before Pinterest existed. Mary was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Buchanan, where she loved singing in the choir and giving a willing hand to whatever task might be needed. Mary and Bob moved to Clark Retirement Community in 2015 where she continued her dynamic faithful service and volunteerism. She became beloved in her new home away from home. She positively impacted others who crossed her path wherever she went. She was loved and will be missed by many. She was a loving, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, always putting others before herself. She had the most generous heart and touched many lives with her presence, through her service and volunteerism. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; and siblings, George Wyman Batchelor, Joyce Polega and Nancy Eileen Vite. Surviving are her husband, Bob; children, Linda (Jim) Munro of Suttons Bay, Rob (Darcy) Heiney of Saint Joseph, and Chuck (Amy) Heiney of Grand Rapids; grandchildren, Christopher (Keri), Andrew (Spenser), Eric, Elliott, Claire, and Will; three, great grandchildren, Myla, Ella and Bennett; four sisters, Betty Ashton, Charlotte Burkett, Margaret Aalfs, Kay Swank; two brothers, Jim Batchelor and Dennis Batchelor; as well as many, many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, Buchanan; Emmanuel Hospice of Grand Rapids, or Clark Retirement Community, Grand Rapids. A service celebrating Mary's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 31st at First United Methodist Church, 132 S Oak St, Buchanan, with a visitation one hour prior and pastor Rob McPherson officiating. A private grave side service took place earlier at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Grand Rapids. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Heiney, please visit our flower store.