Martha Heitkamp

Martha Heitkamp, 85, Wahpeton, ND, formerly Mooreton, ND, passed away Thursday, June 14, 2012 surrounded by family at Sanford Health, Fargo, ND. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Mooreton, ND with Rev. Dale Lagodinski as celebrant. Visitation will be Monday from 5 PM to 7 PM with a 7 PM Prayer Vigil at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton and one hour before the service at the church on Tuesday with a 10:00 a.m Christian Mothers Rosary. Interment will be at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Mooreton.

Martha was born on July 11, 1926 to John and Angeline (Armatys) Zalewski in Minonk, Illinois. She attended St. Patrick Catholic School and Minonk High School in Minonk. She worked at the Minonk Telephone Company for several years. While visiting North Dakota she met her future husband. On November 20, 1951 she was united in marriage to Sylvester Heitkamp at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Mooreton, ND, by Fr. F.J. Slominski. The couple built a home and farmed north of Mooreton where they raised four children. They retired in 1981 and 2002 due to declining health; they sold the farm site and moved to Wahpeton. Sylvester passed away April, 2006.

Martha enjoyed working puzzles and collecting Bells and Angels. She was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Guild, and Christian Mothers.

Martha is survived by her four children: David Heitkamp, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Brian (Brenda) Heitkamp, Bismarck, ND; Joyce Haugen, Wahpeton; Dean (Elaine) Heitkamp, Marion, Iowa; four grandchildren; Kyle (Lindsay Guzzo) Heitkamp, Lynnwood, WA; Megan Heitkamp, Zimmerman, MN; Kelly Heitkamp, Bismarck, ND; Alan Haugen, Phoenix, AZ; one sister, Helen Hussemann, Minonk, IL; a sister-in-law, Rosemary Zalewski, Racine, WI.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Sylvester, her brother Lou Zalewski, and a brother-in-law, Ryan Hussemann.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetic Association.