Loretta R. Heathers

Loretta R. Heathers, 83, of Wauneta, Nebraska, died March 2, 2023 at the Chase County Hospital in Imperial after battling several health complications for a number of years.
Loretta was born in Benkelman on Jan. 20, 1940 to Edward and Beulah Baumfalk of Stratton. She was one of three children raised in Stratton, having an older sister, Wanda and a younger brother, Arnold. Loretta graduated a Stratton Bulldog in 1957.
Following high school, Loretta was working in the area when she met Wayne Heathers in March 1962, and they were married one year later on March 10, 1963, forming a relationship lasting over 60 years. To this union two children were born, Keith and Gene. They started their young life in Trenton and later moved to Curtis in 1966 where they resided for 54 years. In January 2023, Wayne and Loretta moved to the Wauneta Care and Therapy Center. She was a member of The First Congregational Church in Curtis until its closing. Loretta was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and homemaker. She cherished time with her family especially her grandchildren where they would take special shopping trips, catch fireflies, watch scary movies way past their bedtimes and baking all sorts of recipes. In a house full of boys, she enjoyed fishing, would pick you up on the “other side” bird hunting, target shooting, and the Dodgers was her baseball team. She was very happy when her boys got married and she finally got her daughters. She was always up for a board game, a chat, was a great cook and loved trying new recipes, embroidering, gardening and had immaculate flower beds. A lot of Mother’s Day weekends were spent at greenhouses.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister and brother-in-law, Wanda and Don Brown (Warren, Oregon). Survivors include her husband Wayne Heathers (Wauneta); sons Keith and wife Joan Heathers of McCook and Gene and wife Tracy Heathers of Champion; brother Arnold Baumfalk of St. Helens, Oregon; grandchildren Schyler Heathers (Makala) of Imperial, Chantal Cecava (Andrew) and great-grandson Greyson of Lincoln, Shaylee Heathers (Jim) of Lincoln, Trae Heathers of McCook; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Cremation was chosen with a memorial service on March 15 in Curtis in the Methodist church at 11 a.m. CST with lunch after. Inurnment will be at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Frontier County Ambulance service in Curtis, or the Lincoln County Ambulance service in North Platte.