Helene L Heesemann

1935 - 2020

Helene Lillian Heesemann, age 84, of Hernando, FL passed away suddenly April 22, 2020. Helene was born in Manhattan, NY on August 26, 1935 to the late Ralph J. and Elizabeth (Wolff) Cossidente and moved to Florida from Woodhaven, NY (after a brief stay in Worcester, MA).
After graduating from Franklin K. Lane HS, she began her career at NY Telephone. She was a stay at home mom for many years. Amongst her careers, she was a paraprofessional in the education field, a secretary, a waitress, substitute teacher, and a proctor for nursing exams. She worked into her 70's before retiring in Fort Myers, Florida.
She volunteered at Hospice and the Lee Memorial Hospital Foundation while in Fort Myers. She also volunteered at all the schools her daughter taught at in Maine, South Carolina and Florida. In Citrus, she volunteered for the Citrus County Education Foundation.
She enjoyed traveling (especially by cruise ship), doing puzzles, playing Mahjong and cards, doing needlepoint, knitting and crocheting. She was famous for her Christmas cookies and NY crumb cake and cheese cake. She especially loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
She was smart, independent, and like a true New Yorker, was not afraid to voice her opinion. For the last ten years of her life she lived with her daughter Karen, and they had many adventures together. She will miss her dearly.
Left to cherish her memory are her 3 children: Gary E. (Colleen) Heesemann, New Hyde Park, NY; John R. (Laura) Heesemann, Breezy Point, NY; Karen Lisa, Hernando, FL; one sister, Theresa Brooks, Inverness, FL; four grandchildren: Courtney, Kerri-Leigh, Daniel, and Keith; three great grandchildren: Aiden, Taylor, and Jackson. She was predeceased by her sister Joan Dahl of Inverness, FL.
A Celebration of Life Service will be scheduled at a later date by her family. As per her wishes, she will be cremated under the care of Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home and Crematory, Inverness, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Shriner's Children's Hospital.
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