LuElla Irene Heitzman

On April 11, LuElla went to be with her Lord after being diagnosed with congestive heart and kidney failure.

Born LuElla Meyer Oct. 2, 1925, she grew up on a farm near Emery, South Dakota with seven siblings. When her high school sweetheart, Dayton Heitzman, returned home from service in the Army Air Corps to attend his grandfather’s funeral in 1944, they married, spending their honeymoon in the caboose of a troop train. While he served on sea rescue missions out of Cuba, they lived in Virginia Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

After his discharge, they returned to the family farm but after a few South Dakota winters moved west. Dayton studied civil engineering, working for the highway department as a materials inspection engineer.

While raising three children, LuElla worked in restaurants, retail and sales. Named national employee of the year for managing a Farrell’s restaurant, she won her first trip to Hawaii. She loved to travel, visiting Japan, Europe and Mexico.

LuElla was loved for her quick and uncanny sense of humor, even in her last days. An avid walker, she loved spending time with her family, reading, basking in the sunshine, studying the Bible and listening to gospel hymns.

After Dayton passed away in April 1984, LuElla lived independently before moving to Longbranch in 2019 to live with her daughter Christine and son-in-law Jeffrey.

She is survived by children Tim Heitzman and Christine Tritt (Jeffrey); grandchildren Sam and Max Tritt of Tacoma; sister Jeannine Scharich of Oregon. She was preceded in death by husband Dayton; son Dan; sisters Leona, Edna, Lillian and Amanda; and brothers Bud and Reuben.

Many thanks to the staff who so lovingly cared for her at St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor during her final month. Psalm 73:25-26