Gladys Heimerl

Memorial Service:  Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m.  Location: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Brownsville

Gladys Heimerl, 84, was surrounded with love and family as she entered the gates of heaven on September 9, 2019. A lifelong resident of Brownsville, Gladys was baptized, confirmed, twice wed, and twice widowed under the bell tower of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
The youngest of seven children, Gladys was born to Wilhelmina (Kutz) and Louis F. Schultz, Sr. on February 8, 1935. Due to the untimely death of her mother, Gladys was raised by her Aunt Eda (Kutz) and Uncle Hubert Schultz from the age of three. It was in this loving household that her cousins Marion (Pieper) and Marcella (Pade) became “sisters” to Gladys.
After graduating from Lomira High School in 1952, Gladys worked as a secretary at the Brownsville Canning Factory. It was there she met and fell in love with John “Jack” Dreymiller of Mayville. They married in 1955 and gave birth to Bruce and Betty. Jack’s work took the family to Beloit, Wisconsin, and then his illness led them to Richmond, VA, for treatment. Upon Jack’s death in 1967, Gladys moved her young family back home to Brownsville.
As a faithful servant of the Lord, she served as the caretaker of St. Paul’s school and church. Her duties included cleaning, ringing the church bells for special services and each Saturday night, shoveling snow, the sole altar guild for the congregation, and much more. If you have a baptism napkin imprinted with a gold seashell and three water drops it was most likely created by the hand of our dear Gladys.
Gladys will be remembered as an accomplished bowler, seamstress, crochet master, and woman with a thumb so green she could make a stick grow. Each autumn Gladys would be found picking, grading, and bagging apples at Pieper’s Fruit Farm. She thoroughly enjoyed this seasonal career as this is where friends and family gathered to work and play hard together.
In 1978, Gladys entered into a new chapter of life as the adored wife of Marvin and matriarch of the large Heimerl family. It was (and continues to be) a real-life fairytale as the two families opened their hearts and arms to embrace the opportunity to become one. Gladys and Marvin enjoyed a life of travel, cribbage, golfing, and planning family get-togethers.
Gladys leaves behind this large family to cherish her memory, including seven children, Bruce Dreymiller, Betty (Todd) Matthies, Tom (Dianne) Heimerl, Sandra Schmitz, Gerald (Elise) Heimerl, Jacklyn Ewerdt, and Jodi (James) Drinkard. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Ruth (Rayno) Schultz and Marlayne (Tony) Testolin, and brother-in-law Milton Heimerl. God blessed Gladys with 18 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and at least one on the way—but who’s counting?
Gladys was preceded in death by her mother and father; Aunt Eda and Uncle Hubert; two husbands, John “Jack” Dreymiller and Marvin J. Heimerl; Norbert Schultz (brother); Norma Erdman (sister); Margaret Schultz (sister); Louis Schultz II (brother); Doris Friday (sister); Rayno Schultz (brother); and her first cousins, Marion Pieper and Marcella Pade.
The last years of Gladys’ life was spent under the caring vigil of Betty’s Harbor in West Bend. The attention and love provided by the caretakers was a blessing to Gladys and the entire family. To this team we send a heartfelt shout-out of “Wooo-Hooo!”
Sending and receiving cards was her passion. Grandchildren, friends, and neighbors could always count on at least one birthday card in the mailbox each year with a signature that read, “God’s Blessings.” If you wish to send a card to the family, please include your favorite memory of Gladys and direct them to N112W16298 Mequon Rd., #144, Germantown, WI 53022. This will serve as a beautiful tribute to her life and greatly appreciated by the family.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (605 Highland Ave., Brownsville, WI 53006). Visitation, fellowship, and food will be served from 3:30-6:30 that same afternoon at the Brownsville Community Club (871 W. Main St., Brownsville, WI 53006). Everyone welcome. “Come early—stay late!”
Memorials will be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and/or St. Luke’s Lutheran School of Oakfield.
The Myrhum Patten Miller & Kietzer Funeral Home of Lomira has been entrusted with Gladys’ arrangements. Additional information and guest book may be found at www.myrhum-patten.com.