Mary Ann Heitz

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major from the University of Indiana in 1973, she moved to California and began working for the California Department of Corrections. She soon found her true career and lifelong commitment to taking care of and helping to teach pre-school children. She started a home-based day care center in Wildomar that she ran successfully for several years. She later went to work for the Riverside Department of Education as a teachers’ aid in classes of special needs pre-school children. She retired from that position in 2019.

Mary enjoyed spending time with her many close friends. She was known by family and friends for her kindness, generosity, and caring nature. She was quick to embrace those in need, and fostered three youngsters—Andrew, Ann, and Rachelle, and ultimately adopted Andrew. She is survived by her son Andrew and daughter Emma Starr and son-in-law Chris Starr brother and sister-in-law John and Micki Heitz, brother and sister-in-law Bill and Leslie Heitz, and several nieces and nephews.

Mary will be interred alongside her maternal grandparents in Lincoln, Nebraska later this year. She will be remembered at daily Mass on June 8 at St. Frances of Rome Catholic Church in Wildomar, California.