On Tuesday, July 19, 2022, Mary Carla (Carla) Heimerl, (nee Abbot) formerly from Evansville, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Whitewater at the age of 90.
Carla was born on August 14, 1931 in Fremont, Ohio. She was lovingly raised by Gertrude Abel in Pittsburgh, PA and Kansas City, MO and by her legal guardian, Charles Guenther. Carla was valedictorian of her graduating class at Notre Dame de Sion High School in Kansas City, MO.
She met Robert Heimerl at Marquette University where they were both students. They were married on August 18, 1951 and made their home in Evansville, WI. Together they raised two sons, Chris and Kim and three daughters, Diane, Carla, and Susan.
When Susie was in first grade, Carla returned to college at UW-Madison completing a degree in English. After teaching for a couple of years she returned to school and received a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. Carla worked for twenty years at the UW-Madison counseling older adults returning to school, just as she had. She retired as Director of the Office of Continuing Education.
Carla loved books and cherished gifting them and reading to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a gracious hostess who thoroughly enjoyed entertaining. Her true joy was her family. As an only child she longed for a big family. Her wish was realized in her large, loud, and loving family. She was very proud of them, especially that they all valued a college education as much as she did.
Carla was preceded in death by her beloved “parents” Gertrude Abel and Charles Guenther, husband of 66 years Bob, his parents, an infant daughter, Anne Marie, a grandson, Nicholas Heimerl, a brother in-law and a niece.
Carla is survived by her son Chris (Sandy) Heimerl and their two children, Anna (Roylee) Luna and Charles (Amy) Heimerl; her daughter Diane (Stan) Zweifel and their children, Saree (Steve) Solberg, Shannon Zweifel, Michael (Jenn) Zweifel and Mark (Ashley) Zweifel; her son Kim (Becky) Heimerl and their daughters, Thea (Ryan) Kurtz, Kate (Josh) Soholt, Erin (Jason) Breaker and Leah (Brad) Dushaw; daughter Carla (Bill) Skerbeck and their children, Bobby (Jamee) Skerbeck, Dustin (Cindy) Skerbeck and Carly (Jeff) Vertz; and daughter Susie (Tom) Kopp and their children, Kristopher (Jessie) Kopp, Adam (Jen) Kopp and Casey (Ashley) Kopp; and almost 28 great-grandchildren, with one on the way. Carla is also survived by a sister-in-law, Carol Klein and three nieces.
A celebration of Carla’s life will be held on October 29th at 4:00 at Creekside Place, 102 Maple St., Evansville, WI. Carla would be grateful for gifts to Evansville Aware, The Evansville Fund, Agrace or a charity of your choice. www.wardhurtley.com
