Dora “Kay” Kathleen Hefner, 88, of McGregor, Iowa died Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin after a sudden illness. She was born May 23, 1934 to Neil and Catherine (Melvin) McCormick at home in rural Harpers Ferry, Iowa. Kay graduated from Waukon High School in 1952.
On October 17, 1953, Kay was united in marriage with Virgil Hefner at St. Pius Catholic Church (Cherry Mound), rural Harpers Ferry, Iowa. Five children were born to this union. Kay worked alongside Virgil on their family farm. She did everything from planting, harvesting, baling, milking, you name it she helped. She was also a waitress at White Springs for twenty-six years and worked other various jobs. Kay was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church all her married life, where she worked many Bingo nights and Fall dinners, founder of a card club for over sixty-six years which she looked forward to everytime,and was a 4-H Leader for Peppy Pals for many years. Later in life she worked at Kwik Star making the donuts for the customers, at 2:30 am. She enjoyed playing cards, spending time with family and friends, watching football and basketball. She was a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs Baseball. She was a chair contestant everynight on The Wheel of Fortune, which she was pretty darn good at. She lived a long beautiful life and will be greatly missed.
Surviving Kay are her 5 children, 4 good ones and 1 questionable one, Julie (Bruce) Schultz of McGregor, Iowa, Michael Hefner of German Valley, Illinois, Bill (Julie Rohovit) Hefner of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ron (Vicky) Hefner of McGregor, Iowa and Jolene (Terry) Christeleit of Volga, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Shawn (Tara) Schultz, Jeremy (Tracy Schultz) Schultz, Cassidy (Ryan) Melton, Caitlyn (Joshua) DeWall, Chad (Sami) Hefner, Rylan Hefner, Courtney Hefner, Ty (Taylor Berns) Hefner and William (Kennedy Bahls) Christeleit; six great-grandchildren, Noah (Crystal) Schultz, Turner Melton, Teegan Melton, Laykin DeWall, Chandler Hefner and Demi Hefner; and one great-great-granddaughter, Ely Schultz; three sisters, Linda (Gerald) Henkes of McGregor, Betty Olsen of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Jean Swanson of Des Moines, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.
Kay was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil Hefner; daughter-in-law, Lori Hefner; her parents, Neil and Catherine McCormick; brother, Dale McCormick; sister-in-law, Delpha McCormick; and two brothers-in-law, Marty Olsen and Delos Swanson; and her beloved and dearest friend, Dot McCormick.
Visitation will be Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 4 -7 pm with a Rosary at 3:30 pm at St. Mary Catholic Church, McGregor, Iowa. There will also be a one hour visitation before Mass at the church on Monday.
Memorial Mass will be at 10:30 am on Monday, May 8, 2023 at St. Mary Catholic Church with Rev. Martin Coolidge as the Celebrant.
Inurnment will follow at St. Pius Cherry Mound Cemetery, Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Kay’s honor may be made to St. Mary Catholic Church, McGregor, Iowa, McGregor Hook and Ladder or Mar-Mac Rescue Squad.
Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, McGregor, Iowa is helping the family with the arrangements.