Mary J. Von Heimburg

Mary (Toppy) von Heimburg, 88, passed away peacefully April 30, 2018.

She was born November 19, 1929 in Menominee, Michigan, the middle daughter of Donald and Ella (Dessart) Janson.

Mary spent her childhood in Menominee, Michigan and she and Roger met senior year in high school. She married Roger L. von Heimburg on July 12, 1952 at the Presbyterian Church, Menominee, Michigan. Mary and Roger had many happy years of marriage and were together almost 50 years.

Mary's first job was a secretary. Then she attended Carroll College for one year. As Roger was at Johns Hopkins University on scholarship, Mary moved to Milwaukee to work and went to night school to further her education. After she and Roger were married, they moved to Baltimore where Roger was in Medical School at John Hopkins and Mary worked for a lawyer for two years as a secretary. After that, Mary got a job as a secretary to Dr. Richard Ross, Dept. of Medicine at Johns Hopkins; Roger was an intern and they were able to spend more time together.

After his internship, Roger spent time in service in the Navy at Camp Pendleton, California for two years. Their daughter was born on the base. When the young man brought Mary to Mary he said she was the most beautiful baby he had seen. After their time in Pendleton, they went to Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic and spent six years there.

Their son, Donald Franklin, was born in Rochester, Minnesota. Roger was ready to practice and they wanted to stay in the Midwest and chose Green Bay, Wisconsin to be close to family. Roger was contacted to practice surgery with Dr. Tom Lynn at the Lynn Clinic, which became the Webster Clinic, which became Prevea.

Mary enjoyed sewing and creating clothes for herself and her children. She wanted to be a dress designer in high school- took many sewing classes in Milwaukee and made suits and coats.In later years in Green Bay, she went to Washington Island, Wisconsin in summer for about eleven years, taking classes at Sievers with Doreen Speckman, learning how to make quilts, many of which were made from Mary's own designs.

Mary also loved animals - she had a bird pond and feeder that she would diligently tend to all year. She would sit at her kitchen table and watch "the critters" feed and play. Mary was a loving, caring mother and friend. She belonged to several different groups at some point in her adult life: stamp club, Embroidery Guild, and St. Vincent De Paul in the book department.

She is survived by her daughter, Mary D. Gilson (von Heimburg) and her husband, Darrell Gilson, who reside in Green Bay, Wisconsin and a son, Donald F. von Heimburg, Madison, Wisconsin.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Roger L. von Heimburg in September 1999 and her younger sister Anita Johnson (Janson), her older sister Betty Luedtke (Janson), her mother and father, her beloved grandma Mary Janson for whom she was named, her grandpa James Janson and many aunts and uncles who gave her so much love during her lifetime.

Friends may call at Newcomer - Green Bay Chapel, 340 S. Monroe Avenue, Green Bay on Saturday, May 5, 2018 from 1 PM - 3PM. A funeral service celebrating her life will follow at 3 PM in the funeral home. Entombment at Nicolet Memorial Gardens will be private.

The family would like to thank the staff at Allouez Parkside Village II for all their help and loving care given to Mary. Also thank you to the entire Heartland Hospice Staff for their thoughtfulness, loving care, and assistance in Mary's final journey.

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