Johanna Heintz, 88, Rapid City, SD, formerly of Drake, passed away Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. Her funeral will be held Monday, January 5, 2015 at 10:30 a. m. at the St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Drake with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday from 5 p. m. until 7 pm. Followed by a 7 p. m. prayer service, all at the church. Arrangements with Bethke-Nelson Funeral Home of Drake.

Johanna Heilman, daughter of Conrad and Magdalena (Volk) Heilman, was born April 8, 1926 on her parent's farm near Karlsruhe where she was raised and educated.

On April 5, 1948 she was married to John L. Heintz at Karlsruhe. They made their home and farmed in the Orrin area for several years before moving to Drake. In 1968 they purchased the Empress Café in Drake which they owned and operated until 1993. John passed away June 20, 1987. She continued to reside in Drake until the summer of 2010 when she moved to Rapid City and had been a resident of the Fountain Springs Nursing Home since November of that year.

Johanna was a member of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church of Drake and its Altar Society. She also wrote the Drake city news for the Mouse River Journal for many years ans was an active member of the Drake Senior Citizens Club.

She is survived by one son, Douglas Heintz of Minot; 2 daughters, Laurel Nelson and Deborah Heintz, both of Rapid City; 4 grandchildren, Jonathan of Denver, Christopher of Rapid City, Jessica of Phoenix and Jacob of Minot; 1 great-grandchild, Hunter of Denver; 2 sisters, Christine Schell of Drake and Dianne Idle of Tennessee; and 2 brothers, Leo (Carol) Heilman of Karlsruhe and Philip (Janice) Heilman of Minot.

Joann was preceded in death by her husband; 2 daughters, Pamela and Cheryl; grandson, Joshua; her parents and 3 brothers.