Hattie Caroline (Gayken) Van Heel

Hattie Van Heel of Bentonville, AR and formerly of Maynard, MN died Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at the Bentonville Manor Nursing Home at the age of 90.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 28, 2004 at 11:00 A.M. at Maynard Lutheran Church in Maynard.  Rev. Mary Leigh Boyd Hovland will officiate and interment will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Montevideo.

Visitation will be held Monday from 5-7:00 P.M. at the Anderson Funeral Home in Montevideo, MN and at the church for one hour before services on Tuesday.

Hattie Caroline (Gayken) Van Heel was born October 10, 1914 in Hancock County, IA the daughter of Heye and Grace (Rippentrop) Gayken.  At the age of two, she moved with her parents and family to Chippewa County, MN.  On April 19, 1933 she was united in marriage to Herbert Van Heel at Maynard Lutheran Church.  Four children were born to them: Beverly Jean, Dennis, Harlan, and Michael.  Hattie was interested in and took part in community and church affairs.  She taught Sunday School in the Maynard Lutheran Church for thirty-one years and served as Superintendent for a number of years.  She also served as president of the Ladies Aid.  Hattie’s greatest passion was for music.  She was a vocal soloist and sang for many civic and church functions.  She was an accomplished guitarist, as well as pianist and organist.  She also had a love for flowers and gardening.  She always had a big garden and did a lot of canning.  When she wasn’t singing or gardening, she could be found making quilts.  After her husband’s retirement, they and son Michael moved to Alexandria, MN in 1973.  She lived there until moving to Bella Vista, AR in 1998.

She is survived by two sons: Harlan Van Heel of Bentonville, AR and Michael Van Heel of Minneapolis, MN; six grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and one sister, Idell Alt of Cypress, CA.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Herbert; one daughter Beverly Jean; one son, Dennis; two sisters: Margaret Johnson and Ruby Ost; and four brothers: Clarence, Harvey, Glenn, and Roger Gayken.