Colleen Cooke Heideman

Called “Cookie,” by her friends and family, Colleen was born in Fargo, North Dakota to Chauncey and Rebecca (Smith) Cooke. When Colleen was in the fourth grade, her family moved to Spokane, Washington. She loved growing up in Spokane and had fond memories of spending summers at Hayden Lake, taking piano lessons from Hans Moldenhauer, and watching her mother tutor college boys in Latin at nearby Gonzaga University.

After graduation from Spokane’s Lewis and Clark High School, Colleen attended the University of Washington and majored in music education. She joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority at UW, where she made many life-long friends. Returning to Spokane after graduation, she taught grade school for several years before meeting her future husband, Jerry Heideman. They were married in June 1957 and moved to Portland, Oregon soon after, where they raised their three children, and she taught music at the Holladay Center for handicapped children. Colleen and Jerry moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1987. She had lived in Greensboro, Georgia since 2018 and loved the many friends she made there.

Colleen was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, a wonderful piano player, a patient teacher, a collector of family photographs, a fervent Republican, and an excellent bridge player.

Colleen was predeceased by her husband in 2021; her parents; and her brother, Jack Cooke. She is survived by her three children: Michael (Luanne) Heideman; Jeannie (Ron) Stewart; and Teri Heideman. Nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren survive her as well: Alexander (Maya) Heideman; Connor (Maggie) Stewart; Logan Moore; Jack (Tori) Heideman; Matthew Stewart; Audrey (Patrick) Johnson; Rebecca Stewart; Charles Stewart; Carson Moore; Cooke Heideman; Ella James Stewart; and Casper Heideman.

A requiem mass will be held at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta on Monday, November 25 at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers to honor Colleen, memorial contributions maybe given to: Cathedral of Christ King, 2699 Peachtree Rd. NE., Atlanta, GA 30305.