Eva Heuer-Feuerhahn

Eva M. Heuer-Feuerhahn passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, April 30, 2015, at the Lutheran Home. She had been suffering from the devastating consequences of pulmonary fibrosis and COPD from secondhand smoke for many, many months. She was 82.

She was born June 9, 1932, in Egypt Mills, to the late Henry Christian and Mary Day Comer Fornkohl.

Eva was the eighth child and youngest daughter of eleven children. Her mother passed away when Eva was just 7 years old. By the time she was 13, the last of her three older sisters had left the home, leaving her as the "Lady of the House." She worked very hard in the family home scrubbing clothes on an old wooden washboard and cooking for her father and brothers, as well as being a mother to a younger, special-needs brother. (She later became one of his guardians.) Because of family circumstances, her education stopped with the eighth grade. She often said, "I was educated in the school of life."

Eva and Ervin R. Heuer were married Nov. 19, 1950, at Hanover Lutheran Church. He preceded her in death Dec. 27, 1976. She later married Raymond E. Feuerhahn on Feb. 24, 1979, at Hanover Lutheran Church.

Eva was a longtime member of Hanover Lutheran Church where she was a Sunday-school teacher, and faithfully helped with the church suppers. She was baptized Sept. 22, 1935, at Egypt Mills Trinity Lutheran Church by pastor A.H. Schmidt and was confirmed Aug. 7, 1952, at Hanover Lutheran Church by pastor William Wittrock.

She first worked at the International Shoe Co. and represented the shoe workers in the 1950 Labor Day Parade where she was crowned Labor Day Queen!

Eva later worked alongside her husband at Heuer Sons Implement Co. and was a daily presence there for most of the remainder of her life. She never knew a stranger and talked with everyone there, employees and customers alike. She was known to say, "You have to treat your customers right if you want them to come back."

Survivors include her husband, Raymond E. Feuerhahn of Cape Girardeau; son, John A. (Amy) Heuer of Cape Girardeau; daughters, Donna G. (Michael) Ulrich of Cape Girardeau and Deborah J. (Dayton "Buddy") Hahs of Overland Park, Kansas; brothers, Norman (Betty) Fornkohl and Delbert (Sue) Fornkohl, all of Egypt Mills; sister-in-law, Barbara Fornkohl of Egypt Mills; six grandchildren, Leah Day Ulrich, Andrew M. (Shamira) Ulrich, Aaron R. (Amanda) Ulrich all of Cape Girardeau, and Adam R. Hahs, Noah D. Hahs and Quinn L. Hahs, all of Overland Park. Stepchildren include Gary (Madeleine) Feuerhahn, Gene (Donna) Feuerhahn and David (Tracie) Feuerhahn; and eight step-grandchildren and great-stepgrandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Ervin Heuer; sons, Stephen E. and Ivan R. Heuer; and brothers, Oscar, Glenn, Lawrence, Bobbie "Ray" and Lester Fornkohl; and sisters, Mabel Hoffman, Opal Golden and Doris Eagle.

The most important thing in Eva's life was her family. Whether it was her father, brothers, sisters, husband, children, grandchildren, or even a more distant relative, she was always there for them. She found her strength through her belief in Jesus and deep love for her family.

When her husband died at an early age, leaving the family business, he asked Eva during his final days to keep the business going. Although she was scared, she found the strength along with help from some wonderful employees and her teenage son, Ivan, to keep it going. It continued to thrive when both sons became involved. Eva remained active in the business until her health prevented her from going. She and her sons spent hours talking about issues involving "The Shop" and often their talks strayed to more personal topics.

She was known as a sweet and loving person, and always had a smile on her face for everyone. She was an incredible lady, mother and grandmother, and she will be dearly missed!

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Hanover Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, with the Rev. Tony Kobak and Vicar Andrew Cave officiating.

Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.