On January 5, 2019 at the age of 67, surrounded by family, Connie decided it was time to rest after her short but courageous battle with glioblastoma. She fought valiantly against this horrific brain tumor for three months and four days. On November 1, 1951 in Mishawaka, she was born to Bob L. Heeter, Sr. and the former Bonnie I. Frick.
She lived in the area her whole life. She graduated from Penn High School in 1970. After graduation, she started working for Morgan Drive Away as an FTC compliance person.
She worked there until 1983. After taking a few years off, she worked for the South Bend Community School Corporation as a cafeteria worker. She also worked for Wells Fargo Bank for several years in the trust department.
After this, she began working at the St. Joseph County Public Library in the cataloging department from 2003 until her retirement in November of 2017. She had many different interests and hobbies over the years. She loved animals of all kinds, especially dogs and horses, even owning a horse named Cocoa for a number of years.
She enjoyed reading and knitting, bowling and roller skating. She also learned how to play the Irish tin whistle. In her younger years, she twirled baton and was a competitive roller-skating dancer, winning awards in various competitions.
She also sang in the Penn High School choir. In more recent years, she loved to go see Kennedy’s Kitchen perform. Her favorite college football team was Notre Dame, but her greatest joy and love was spending time with family and friends, especially spending time with her grandchildren.
In 1976, she married Bruce Carl Villwock. Through this union, they had their daughters, Cheri L. (Kris) Snook of South Bend, and Erin Elizabeth Villwock, the latter whom preceded her in death, in infancy. This also produced their grandchildren, Autumn Snook and Payden Snook.
Although their union ended in 1991, they remained friends, and Bruce and his wife Judi helped care for Connie when she became ill. Survivors besides her daughter Cheri and her grandchildren, include her mother Bonnie (Frick) Heeter of Osceola, IN, and her two brothers, Bob L. (Phyllis) Heeter, Jr., of Osceola, and Randy (Debbie) Heeter of Mishawaka. Connie is also survived by her nephews, Dave (Lisa) Heeter, Jared (Cori) Heeter, Danny Heeter, Julie (Matt) Crawford, Todd Heeter, Timothy Heeter, Terry Heeter, and Tonya Heeter.
She also is survived by numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins. Preceding Connie in death are her father, Bob Heeter, Sr.; her daughter, Erin Elizabeth Villwock; and her brother, Freddie Heeter. Connie was loved by many and remained delightful, as her nurses said, up until the very end.
Following cremation, there will be a graveside service and inurnment on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Fairview Cemetery, 1415 N. Main Street, Mishawaka, IN. The family is asking those, who plan on attending, wear the color gray in honor of the glioblastoma she valiantly fought. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made in her honor to the National Brain Tumor Society for further research for glioblastoma: National Brain Tumor Society, 55 Chapel Street, Suite 200, Newton, MA 02458.
Donations may also be made to the March of Dimes in memory of her daughter, Erin, whom was born prematurely: March of Dimes, Donations Processing Center, P.O. Box 673667, Marietta, GA 30006.
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