Mary Heier

How to say goodbye. Today we say goodbye to Mary Heier, a loving daughter, sister, aunt, mother and grandmother. She lost her battle to covid but won the war. She is now home with God. She loved to read and sing. She was the kindest and most loving person I think I will ever know. She taught us love through actions. Do unto others as you would have them to do to you. She was a devout woman who knew what it was like to fight internal wars. But even with all of that she never knew what it was to hate.

So now to tell you about her as a person. She was an avid Star Trek Fan. She would never miss it. She would tell stories of when she was watching her nephews and nieces and have the tv moved just so she could watch the show. She was all about the live long and prosper. So enough about her being a Trekkie. Some of the stories I could tell you about her. The long debate about weather she did or did not toss her sisters doll into the outhouse. And yes, I did say outhouse she was a good ole Tennessee girl.  She was a Bible thumping “Yes Lord” shouting tent revival going woman. “Who would shout, dance and sing to the Lord!”. This is who she was as a woman.

But now let me tell you about who and what she was to me as a mother as my best friend, as the person I could talk to about anything and everything. Growing up she was my strong tower. She would hold me and comfort me. Love me in spite of every single one of my flaws. She taught me to love me for me. She inspired me to be a better person. To give my best and be the best I could and to never ever give up. She taught me it is better die standing then to live on my knees. She would fight tooth and nail for her friends and family. She would say “never fight unless there is no other way.” And, hold to her convictions. I am who I am because she told be to never back down from your beliefs. And she taught me don’t run. Till her last we still don’t know what I did. Seriously the only thing I remember is I took off running trying to get to the basement and her chasing catching me and spanking me. But I can tell you this it was the last time it happened lesson learned. Even if we couldn’t remember the cause, the effect was enough.

Now the last thing I want to tell you about is how much she loved my sister Cheryl and my little niece Ahlora. She was over the moon about Ahlora she never thought she would be a grandma. She loved holding her and playing and singing with her. My mom would hold her for hours. The joy she had with every new first. Smile, laugh, tooth, holiday and word. When she first stood up her first step. She loved it. And Cheryl, she loved her with unending love. And Ahlora allowed mom to spend more time with Cheryl to talk to her laugh with her. To really have time with her. To try to let Cheryl truly know how loved she is, not was but how truly loved she is. Because true love is unconditional and a mother’s love is unending. In both this life and the next. She will be there with arms wide waiting to embrace us. Just as her mom our mamaw was there waiting with arms wide for her.  Mary Heier my mother the woman who was a true diamond. Forged through the fire pressure and time that her life brought. Would not want us to be sad for her but to rejoice that she has gone home. And that we will meet again when are wandering of this life’s great journey is over. And that we will see her again when our father tells us it is time to come home. I love you mama and I will, know that I will miss you every day until our journey is over.