Betty Koehler Heimerdinger

Betty Koehler Heimerdinger, age 96, died peacefully on Sunday, October 12th, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband of seventy-one years, Henry Waterman Heimerdinger, with whom she built a home and shared a lifetime of work. She is survived by her sons, Carl (Glenna) and David (Peggy) Heimerdinger; her grandchildren, Rachel (Joseph Clements), Matthew and Nicole Heimerdinger; nieces and nephews; and many friends and extended family.

Born March 7th, 1929, the youngest of five children of John A. and Carrie Schott Koehler, Betty grew up on Woodbourne Ave., the baby of the family and sister to Ruth, Alberta, Bud (John Jr.), and Bob (Robert), all of whom precede her in passing. Raised during the Depression, she learned early to stretch what she had and to care for what was given-habits that endured. Nothing in her hands was wasted; everything was repaired or repurposed.

As a newborn, Betty was carried by her parents to see the setting of the cornerstone of St. Paul United Methodist Church, where she would be a lifelong member. Church was where she met Henry, and they studied and worshiped with the LOA Sunday School Class. They married, raised two sons, and built the house in Buechel that would serve as their family home.

There, she joined in family projects that required a careful hand-selecting finishing touches for home projects, painting trim around doors and windows, and stitching new upholstery for the antique cars they restored as a family. In the community, she took part in the Buechel Woman's Club and the PTA at Bashford Manor Elementary.

For more than seven decades she and Henry were partners in every sense. At the Heimerdinger Cutlery Company she managed the sales floor, kept the ledgers balanced, and greeted customers with warmth.

Betty took particular pride in the spaces she cultivated. Her gardens flourished with roses, hibiscus, and tomatoes; she tended rows of orchids on the sunporch. With her grandchildren, she kneaded dough for bunny bread at Easter, picked blueberries in the summer, and decorated sugar cookies for New Years. She also enjoyed knitting and reading historical fiction, stories of women who built and tended simple lives on the frontier. She kept faith, kept things growing, and loved those around her.

Visitation will be from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 16th, with a funeral service on Friday, October 17th, at 10:00 a.m., at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road. A private burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church or to a charity of your choice, or to honor Betty's life you might plant something that blooms in spring.