Mary Mercedes Heimann, 102, died during the night peacefully in her own home on October 16, 2022. She was born February 13, 1920 in Cherokee, Iowa. She attended the Catholic schools of Immaculate Conception High School and Clarke College in Dubuque. She attained a music degree and taught music in the Los Angeles public schools. Up until four months of her passing, Mary entertained family and friends playing her grand piano and singing. She was a choir member at the Serra Chapel in the San Juan Capistrano Mission and Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Habra for many decades.

In 1950 she married Raymond Heimann at the San Gabriel Mission. They were married for over 65 years. She and her husband spent their retirement years at Casta Del Sol in Mission Viejo where Mary enjoyed playing golf and tending to her rose garden. Mary loved entertaining and the company of guests.

The Trappist monks of the New Melleray Abbey, located in the Dubuque vicinity, built her casket where she will be remembered in an annual mass with a tree planted in the monastic garden. She will be interred at the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Rowland Heights after her rosary and funeral mass on November 7, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the Serra Chapel at the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Her place of burial will be next to her predeceased husband, Raymond, and son, James Joseph. She is survived by her three children, Richard (Krisztina), Marianne (Wyman) Dunford, Marlene and 6 grandchildren with one great grandchild, Eva, Greg, Luke Heimann, Carina, Laurel, Mark ( Morgan), Avery Dunford.

Please click on this link to watch a lovely video of Mary, playing piano & singing: Mary Heimann