Audrey Heinzen, of Phlox, died Tuesday December 29, 2015 at home under the care of her family and LeRoyer Hospice. She was born on September 19, 1939 in Mattoon, a daughter of Clarence and Dorothy (Krause) Leiskau. She married Donald Heinzen on September 27, 1958 at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Birnamwood. He survives.

She worked at Cady Nursing Home in Birnamwood. She raised her seven children in Phlox, and opened her home to foster children. For 13 years she worked in the bakery department at Copps in Antigo retiring in 2001.

Mrs. Heinzen was a member of St. Joseph Holy Family Catholic Church and their St. Anne Society, the Devine Menting American Legion Auxiliary Unit 525 of Phlox, the Neff-Switch Homemakers Club, and was a leader for the Phlox Flames 4-H for many years.

She traveled to Africa with Living Waters International and has been a longtime sponsor of children in Africa. She assisted with clean water projects through the Catholic World Foundation.

She enjoyed fishing, biking, skiing, kayaking, walking in the woods, feeding the birds, gardening, playing cards with her card club, bowling and her grandchildren.

Survivors including her husband are five daughters, Beth Heinzen, Green Bay, Doris (Jeff) Waldvogel, New London, Carla (Garth) Gerstenberger, Tomahawk, Lori (Joe) Bansemer, Waterford, Krina (Randy) Fenske, Eau Claire; two sons, Kenneth (Linda) Heinzen, Schofield, Thomas (Nikki) Heinzen, Antigo; 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; a sister, Barbara Waldvogel, Phlox; a step-brother DuWayne (Mary) Balthazor.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by a sister Sue (Mike) Koeppel, a brother in infancy and a brother-in-law James Waldvogel.

The funeral Mass will be held on Saturday January 2, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. Charles Hoffmann, and Deacon Tom Hartman, officiating. Burial will take place in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 – 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Bradley Funeral Home and one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday. A parish wake service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

A memorial fund has been established to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation the disease that took Audrey’s life. P.K.D. P.O. Box 871847 Kansas City, MO 64187-1947.