Jeannie Heuer

Jeannie E. Halagiere Heuer, 65, of Bloomington, Indiana, passed away Friday, May 16, 2014, at Bloomington Hospital, holding the hand of Alan, her beloved husband.

She was born Jan. 5, 1949, as one of twins (Jane Elaine and Jean Eileen).

Jeannie received an M.A. degree in English in 1984. She taught English at Southeast Missouri State University, where she met and married the love of her life, Alan Heuer. They moved to Bloomington from Missouri in 1991 following her wish to become "Auntie Jeannie" to her nieces and nephews, which she did in exemplary, honest and deeply loving fashion.

She spent the next 20 years teaching grammar and literature at Ivy Tech in Bloomington to her many students whose education she was devoted to. Her students said of her: "Wonderful teacher, … great stories …. funny … very strict in her English and expectations and ALWAYS willing to help."

Jean was Ivy Tech's longest serving English faculty member, and during her more than 20 years of service taught well over 1,000 students English composition and literature. Her legacy at Ivy Tech includes development of a short-story class, which remains its most popular literature class. Jean was well loved by the students, faculty and staff for her positive attitude, kindness and intellectual clarity.

She was one of Ivy Tech's most treasured instructors from 1991 until her retirement this month. She consistently taught her English classes with enthusiasm, passion and compassion. She treated her students as individuals, serving as a role model for their choosing a field where they could "make a difference," as she did in every class with every student.

Jeannie loved to make her own recipe of homemade bread, work in her 40-pot kitchen garden (Alan is continuing the planting as Jeannie planned), and make homemade pesto from her herbs, tend her overwintering geraniums and ferns, read lots and lots of literature (books were her other great love), and study the gospels with her friend Ann and sister Jane.

She enjoyed regular "haunts" with her Ivy Tech "buddy" of 20 years, Jan, and canoe the lake (another favorite is Greene-Sullivan's Airline Lake) and walk at Yellow Wood Park's pine forest with her husband. She and Alan also spent many delightful times at McCormick's Creek sitting at Echo Canyon in folding chairs listening to the falling water and children, reading, of course, and occasionally dozing to sleep in that beautiful setting.

She supported her sometimes eccentric husband's fascinations with "little trains", as she very lovingly called his model railroading hobby, and even tolerated with misgivings but typical grace his other fascination with scuba diving. She was loved by all of Alan's friends as she was her own.

She retired from Ivy Tech just five days ago.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Lenore Halagiere; and just two months ago by her beloved brother, Larry Halagiere.

Survivors include her husband, Alan Heuer; her twin, Jane Martin (Patrick) of Bloomington; Jane's three children who she helped raise (She was "Auntie Jeannie"), Abbey Martin (Joe), Jean Martin Mensz (Jan) and Wesley Martin; a sister, Carolyn Lengh (Robert); niece Arianne Lengh Scott (Michael, son Liam); niece Heather Billings (Brian, children Isabella, Lainey, Alex); nephew Josh Halagiere (Rene, children Gavin, Lydia).

Her quiet strength and dignity, boundless compassion and unending love will live on.

A Mass was May 21 at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Friends may send condolences to allenfuneralhome.org.