Debra Heys

Debra Ann Heys was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother and a faithful follower of Christ. She had a zest for life, loved deeply and was fiercely loyal to her friends and family. She was passionate to the point of being stubborn and spoke her mind on matters that were close to her heart. Her politics were boldly right of center, yet her compassion was right on target. She lived actively in service to God.

Deb was born to James and Patricia Kasper in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 3, 1957 at the height of the post-war baby boom. They lived a simple but happy life in suburban Grand Rapids. James was employed by the US Postal Service in Grand Rapids and Patricia worked at home to care for their three children: Deb, Tom and Barb. The family lived at 933 Lake Michigan Drive NW and were members of St. James Catholic Church on Bridge Street NW. Deb attended elementary school at St. James before graduating from Union High School with the class of 1975.

The Kasper family vacationed with grandparents at a cottage on Houghton Lake. Through her teenage years, Deb filled her summers with fun times sunbathing, swimming, fishing, and always loved to be outdoors, at the beach or in the sun.

Deb was still in high school when she met “the boy next door” who would become her husband of 38 years. Actually, Dick Heys lived nearby and Deb often walked by his house. At one point the two of them struck up a conversation on the sidewalk. Their relationship began as a friendship when Deb and her friends started hanging out at Dick’s house. It was an ideal way to get to know each other before they started dating. After a three-year courtship, Deb and Dick married at Millbrook Christian Reformed Church on October 15, 1977. They spent their three-week honeymoon in the Rocky Mountains exploring the National Parks: Zion, Mesa Verda, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Their honeymoon would become one of many vacations spent in the great outdoors.

The newlyweds settled into a home at 1047 Lake Michigan Drive NW, just a block from where Deb had grown up. Already working at Steelcase when they were dating, Dick operated a punch press there. Deb took jobs cleaning offices and homes, and also worked for a while at Ludwick’s Donuts in northwest Grand Rapids. Deb only worked part time throughout her life, mainly to help fund her love for family vacations. Her primary desire was to raise their children in the family home that the couple built together in 1979 at 2412 Glenvalley NW.

Deb and Dick were blessed with three children: Kyle born in December 1978, Kelly in April 1981 and Jared in January 1984. They led a very active life, skiing in the winter and camping and hanging out at the beach in the summer. They rented a cottage for 37 consecutive summers. They always went with grandparents and relatives. The cottages they rented were on many different lakes including Higgins Lake, Mullet Lake, Lake Mitchell, Green Lake, and most recently Fremont Lake. They also took trips to Canada, Isle Royale, Alaska, Florida and Gulf Shores, Alabama. They headed out West for ski trips to Montana and Colorado and frequented Boyne in Michigan for many years. The joy of the outdoors was a highlight in her life and whether she was camping, swimming, boating, riding a bike, or playing games, Deb most enjoyed spending those times with her family.

Deb’s faith in Jesus Christ was central in her life, and she spent a significant portion of her life attending and leading many Bible studies. For a number of years, she was a Bible study leader at Sunshine Community Church and a member of Bible Study Fellowship. She also served on a fundraising committee and was a member of a church softball team. Her faith inspired her activities, the books she read and music she listened to. She thoroughly enjoyed non-fiction spiritual books, and she was always listening to praise and worship music. Her favorite songs included “Shout to the Lord,” “How Great Is Our God,” and “O, Holy Night.” Most recent she read daily devotionals such as “Jesus Calling” as well as prayer books. Deb carried a small Bible in her purse as a cherished token of her deep and abiding faith.

Other prized possessions for Deb were her mother's purple lamp in her living room and the Japanese Lace Leaf Maple in her front yard. She refused to let anyone prune the Maple tree. This resulted in a tree the size of a small building that she took great pride in. The sidewalk had to be expanded to allow people to pass by the overgrown branches. The purple lamp was a gift from her mother and a constant concern when the grandkids were over.

Becoming a Grandma was the highlight of her later years. She rejoiced in the births of four grandchildren: Katie, Kara, Leona, and Miles and was thrilled to discover that a fifth grandchild was presently on the way. She proudly and excessively spoiled her grandchildren. From picking up endless toys at garage sales, to keeping an abundance of candy and suckers in her pantry, Grandma’s home was a special treat for all the grandchildren. She would often have home baked cookies, brownies and breads, and she even fed the grandchildren their vegetables (sometimes considering pumpkin pie a “vegetable”). Her baked chicken, lasagna and breaded pork chops were family favorites. Deb’s tenacious ways held the family together through thick and thin. Her presence at family gatherings will be missed greatly and the hole she leaves behind is huge within all of her family members.

After courageously struggling with pulmonary fibrosis for three years, Deb succumbed to the disease at age 57. She went home to be with her Lord on Monday, May 4, 2015. Deb was preceded in death by her parents, James and Patricia Kasper in 2011 and 2012, respectively; her brother-in-law, Christopher Reams and sister-in-law, Joyce DeWitt. Surviving are her husband, Dick; her children, Kyle and Kim Heys, Kelly and Jamison Niezurawski, Jared and Lindsey Heys; grandchildren, Katie and Kara Heys and Leona and Miles Niezurawski. Also surviving are her sister, Barb Reams and brother, Tom and Fran Kasper; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Lois and Lee Van Tatenhove, Tom DeWitt, Ron and Michelle Heys, Tim and Lynda Heys, Bill and Kathy Heys, Bev and Dan Triemstra and many nephews and nieces. Funeral services will be held Friday at 11:00 AM at Orchard Hill Reformed Church, 1465 Three Mile Rd. NW. Friends may meet the family on Thursday from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 E. Ohio St., Chicago, IL 60611 or you can donate online at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org. To share a favorite memory or photo of Deb and to sign her online guest book, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.