Jeannine Heitman

Jeannine Marie Conley Heitman died on August 14th, 2021 at her home in Bellaire, Michigan. She was born on August 30, 1951 in Caro, Michigan to Daniel Boniface Conley and Mary Ester Frick Conley.

Jeannine attended high school at Akron-Fairgrove High School. After graduation she attended Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. While attending university she met and married her husband Robert Eric Heitman. She and her husband moved to Del Rey Beach, Florida shortly after they were married in 1973. She gave birth to a daughter, Katherin Helen in 1975. They moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida after her husband enlisted in the United States Air Force. Her son, Eric Christopher was born at the US medical facility on Eglin Air Force Base in 1977. She and her family moved to Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany in 1978 when her husband was stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base. They returned to the United States in 1982 and put down roots in Oakhurst, California. Jeannine went back to college at California State University, Fresno where she completed her bachelors degree and earned her teaching credential in elementary education. She helped establish one of California's first charter schools and served as its first curriculum coordinator but her true love was teaching in the classroom working with children in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades until her retirement in 2015.

In 2004 she and her husband built a house in Bellaire, Michigan. Robert's parents, Eric Carl Heitman and Helen Isabel Gover Heitman lived in the house until their passing. Jeannine would spend her summers in Michigan, and her husband would join her as time permitted. The couple had plans to live full-time in Bellaire starting in 2021.

Jeannine was preceded in death by her Mother and Father and a sister Nadine. She is survived by her sisters Diane Hill and Luana Roach; her brother Roger Conley; husband Robert; daughter Katherin; son Eric; and her beloved grandson Tristan.

A time for memory sharing will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 21 with memorial visitation from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes, 106 S. Bridge St., Bellaire, MI 49615.  A memorial for her will also be held at an as yet undetermined date in the early fall in Oakhurst, California.

Her family would like to encourage all well-wishers to consider donating time or money to their local public schools.

Arrangements are in the care of the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.  Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com