Kathleen J. Heidtke

On December 9, 2025, we lost Kathleen Heidtke. Until she began kindergarten at First Ward, Kathy had no idea her name was actually Kathleen—her teacher called for “Kathleen” multiple times before she realized they meant her.

Born on January 16, 1954, Kathy grew up on the East Hill of Chippewa Falls as the middle sister in the Russell family. She adored her siblings—Sharon, Gerald, and Cindy (who also did not know her name was actually Cynthia, though by then the teacher knew better). Kathy’s love for her siblings was perfectly captured in the Christmas she asked Santa for a whip for Jerry.

Kathy was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She met the love of her life, Lonnie Heidtke, while Lonnie was visiting his best friend Dennis at his in-laws, though they didn’t begin dating until later—when Lonnie picked her up during a walk home, either from a graveyard or a friend’s house, depending on whose version you believe. She famously skipped getting her wisdom teeth removed the summer after graduating from Chi-Hi, instead marrying Lonnie on July 29, 1972.

Although she loved her children, Jeremy Heidtke and Shana (Steven) Lindquist, she proudly reminded them that the real reason to have children was to get grandchildren. Sorry, Lonnie, but the true loves of her life were her grandsons, Ewan and Ian Lindquist.

Her humor, strength, and love will be deeply missed by her many friends—even the ones who managed to let her get suspended from high school for smoking in the wrong part of school grounds (it was the seventies, after all)—and by her family. She was a stay-at-home mom until her children reached middle school, then worked as a dietary aide and cook at the Rutledge Home, and later found her favorite job working in the service lanes at Marquardt Chevrolet. Kathy had to stop working when her chronic battle with autoimmune illnesses began to impact her mobility after a series of foot surgeries. Although Kathy was in constant pain, she kept a positive attitude and humor, especially about the number of doctors who took her cases to conferences to both show off their work and try to figure out precisely what the actual cause of her illnesses was, maybe lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or the other interestingly named diseases we all learned about.

Lonnie and Kathy shared a love of traveling the country, visiting most states and numerous National Parks. She also shared travel adventures with her extended family, and those will always be cherished memories of murder hotels and going the wrong direction in chronological museums. Kathy and Lonnie spent winters in Florida in later years until her battle with autoimmune conditions made travel too difficult.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Lonnie Heidtke; her children, Jeremy Heidtke and Shana (Steven) Lindquist; her grandsons, Ewan and Ian Lindquist; her siblings, Sharon (Dennis) Krumenauer, Gerald (Illa) Russell, and Cynthia (John) Carlson; her sisters- and brothers-in-law, Lori (Ronnie) Dressel and Lindsey (Kathy) Heidtke; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Helen (Steinbach) Russell, and her in-laws, Herbert “Herb” and Lorraine “Bobbi” (Felmlee) Heidtke.

Her family would like to thank all the doctors, nurses, and other caregivers who helped throughout the years of her illness. We would especially like to thank the ICU team at Mayo Hospital in Eau Claire for the final, comforting care given in the last week of her life. Their dedication and kindness made all the difference, though the parking situation leaves much to be desired.

The visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 10 am at Pederson-Volker Funeral Home. A celebration of life will begin at 11 am at the funeral home with a graveside service to follow at 12:00 pm at Forest Hill Cemetery.