Michele M. Heinrichs

MADISON/STOUGHTON – Our Michele Mary “Shelly” Heinrichs, joined God, her heavenly Father and her beloved Father, Donovan, on January 30, 2011. Michele was born on Sept. 7, 1955 in Milwaukee, to Donovan and Eileen (Meely) Heinrichs. She was raised in Stoughton and attended St. Ann Grade School. She graduated from Edgewood High School in 1973. She earned a BS degree from UW-Stevens Point in Nutrition and a BS degree in Accounting from Edgewood College. She also graduated from UW School of Radiology, this being her true interest. She taught classes for MATC for x-ray technicians. She worked at both UW Hospital and Meriter Hospital. She loved both the work and the people at these places. She is survived by her mother, Eileen of Stoughton; sister, Sheila (Richard) Jessen, of Camp Douglas; two brothers, Michael (Judy), of Waunakee, and Mark of McFarland. She was a devoted aunt to Kelly and James Jessen, and Jenna and Jackson Heinrichs. These four were a great part of her life as there was great friendship and love between them all. She was extremely fond of her two aunts, Rosemary “Aunt Rosebud” Meely Bowen, of Chevy Chase, MD; and her children, Mary Beth, Patsy, Davey and Margie; and Mary Kay “Aunt Kath” Meely Luby, of Akron, OH; and her children, Chuck, Jim, Tom, Robert, Phil, Paul, Tim, Richard and Michael. She will also be missed by her friend, Lenny Gertken. Michele was a very kind and generous person who was always there to give a hand where needed. She enjoyed traveling. She and her mother took many trips to various countries with their traveling friends. She had a great love for Ireland and enjoyed her many visits over there. Michele also loved taking pictures of her travels and her nieces and nephews. She has a collection of close to 100 albums. One could see a special twinkle in her eye when someone mentioned a Ho-Chunk trip with family or friends or a trip to Las Vegas. She enjoyed her membership in Dane County Shamrock Club and Madison Catholic Woman’s Club, as well as her professional groups. She was preceded in death by her father, Donovan; her maternal grandparents, John and Marguerite (Fanning) Meely; and her paternal grandparents, Virgil and Mildred (Bourrett) Heinrichs. Although Michele was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish in Madison, her Memorial Mass will be held at her old home parish, ST. ANN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 323 N. Van Buren St., Stoughton, on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011 at 11 a.m. with Msgr. Gerard Healy officiating. Visitation will be held in the gathering area at the church on Friday from 9 a.m. until the time of Mass. Lunch will be served following the service. Burial services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in her name to St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, St. Ann Parish in Stoughton, and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison. Our heartfelt thanks to the various staff at Meriter Hospital and the nursing staff at HospiceCare for their tender loving care and affection and kindness shown to all of us. God bless them all