Natalie G. Heiar

Natalie G. Heiar, age 89, of Charlotte, Iowa, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2025, at Field Stone Nursing Home in DeWitt, IA, just days after lovingly telling her children she planned to be with Jesus by Christmas.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 23, at Assumption Catholic Church in Charlotte. Visitation will take place from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 22, at Law Jones Funeral Home in Preston, and again one hour prior to Tuesday’s Mass at the church. Burial will follow at Assumption Catholic Cemetery.

Natalie was born on February 22, 1936, in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Paul and Caroline (Timm) Paysen. She attended Clinton schools and graduated with the Clinton High School Class of 1954. On October 22, 1955, she married Wayne J. Heiar at Assumption Catholic Church in Charlotte. Together, they raised three daughters and a son, and shared nearly 58 years of marriage before Wayne’s passing in 2013.

Natalie was a woman of many talents and boundless energy. A gifted artist, she was honored with three Gold Key awards for her artwork in the Des Moines competition. She was also a voracious reader with a deep love of history, always ready to share stories and knowledge with those around her.

She and Wayne farmed together for many years, raising hogs and dairy cattle. Natalie proudly claimed to have milked more cows than anyone you know! In the early 1980s, they sold their livestock and rented out the farmland, embarking on a new chapter as National Park rangers. Their adventures took them to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, and Mount Rushmore, where they spent five memorable years giving bus and canoe tours. Natalie loved to recount stories from those days; like the time she calmly advised canoe passengers in the Everglades to pause and let an alligator cross their path.

Her love for the outdoors was lifelong. She enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, hiking, canoeing, and painting. After returning to Charlotte in the 1990s, she and Wayne built Heiar Hill Mobile Home Park and dove back into the farm, this time raising sheep. They heated their home with wood and even had a beloved pet donkey.

Natalie was the true matriarch of her family, garnering deep love and respect from all who knew her. One cherished tradition that reflected this was the annual fall cleanup after the first frost, when dozens of family members would gather to help prepare her yard and gardens for winter; a testament to the devotion she inspired.

She is survived by her daughters: Melodie Heiar of DeWitt, IA; Joy Lipscomb of Spring Grove, IL; and Heidi (Bryon) Hicks of Maquoketa, IA. She is also lovingly remembered by her eight grandchildren: Brad (Bethany) Mohr, Nicholas Postma, Carrie (James) Ryan, Chelsea (Chad) Byykkonen, Holly (Jace) Kuhlman, Brandi (Dave) Mack, Danielle (Josh) Bickford, and Jyme (Clinton Zeman) Hicks; 18 great-grandchildren, with a 19th on the way; and her sister, Kathleen Bailey of Moline, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Caroline; her beloved husband, Wayne; her son, Jim Heiar; her sister, Janet (Ken) Duncanson; her brother-in-law, David Bailey; and her son-in-law, Terry Lipscomb.

Natalie’s legacy is one of strength, creativity, and love. Her spirit will live on in the stories she told, the art she created, and the family she so deeply cherished.