Maxine "Bee" Heinemann
February 17, 1937 — May 3, 2022
Maxine Clara "Bee" Heinemann, 85 of Dell Rapids, SD passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 AM Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Dell Rapids. Interment will be in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Monday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids, with a Christian Wake Service & Rosary beginning at 7:00 PM.
Bee was born on February 17 th to Almer and Vernette (Jahn) Botten, in Montevideo, MN. She grew up in Montevideo with her family. After graduating she moved to San Francisco, CA where she lived with her two aunts and was employed as a bookkeeper for a local company. Later, she returned to Montevideo which led to a blind date with her future husband Kenneth.
Bee was united in marriage to Kenneth on October 17 th 1959 at the Catholic Church, St. Joseph in Montevideo, MN. They moved to Burbank, CA where she continued working as a bookkeeper. Later, they returned to Garretson, SD to help her in-laws run the family farm. In 1962, they purchased their own farm where she and Kenneth raised their 6 children.
After her children were older, she worked outside of the home. Every holiday the family would gather at the family farm and celebrate. Bee enjoyed hosting parties no matter what the occasion was…from Christmas to having card parties. There was always an abundance of food. Bee also loved gardening, canning and baking.
Left to cherish her memory are her six children: Lonny (Jacki) Heinemann of Sioux Fall, SD, Julie (Vince) Devlin of Dell Rapids, SD, Bruce (Nikki) Heinemann of Trent, SD, Peggy (Brian) Shaffner of Lexington, TN, Debbie (Michael) Miles of Montrose, SD, Kevin (Joy) Heinemann of Harrisburg, SD, and her sister Ann Kruse of Granite Falls, MN.
Bee’s legacy includes: 18 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter
Bee is preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Heinemann, her infant son Jeffrey, her parents Almer and Vernette Botten, three brothers and one sister.
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