Vicki Sue Heintz

Vicki Sue Heintz (Nelson), passed away peacefully on July 25, 2024, surrounded by loved ones after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Vicki was a dedicated Wife, Mother, Oma, Sister, and dear friend to many. She was known to her family and friends as a constant ray of sunshine, always choosing joy by radiating her positivity and kindness to everyone she encountered.

Vicki was born on February 2, 1951, in Martinez, California. Her family moved to Kings Beach, California during her early teens where she spent her time enjoying the beauty of Lake Tahoe. After graduating from Truckee High School in 1969, she attended UC Davis where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Development. Upon graduating, she joined AmeriCorps Vista serving low-income communities in Florida and Mississippi. Upon returning to California, she worked as a preschool teacher until one fateful Memorial Day Weekend when she met the love of her life, Jack Heintz at a housewarming party, it was love at first sight, and the two were married less than a year later in 1979.

Vicki and Jack moved to Sonoma County shortly after their wedding, where she lived for the next 43 years, welcoming four daughters and establishing her roots in Rohnert Park, California. She was very active in her daughter’s lives, volunteering in their classrooms and on school field trips, hosting playdates and birthday parties, cheering them on at all their sporting events, and always welcoming everyone over to enjoy her famous tradition of Saturday morning waffles.

Vicki professed her life to Christ at a young age and she spent much of her time volunteering at local churches, singing in the choir and serving as Sunday School Director and Vacation Bible School coordinator at First Baptist Church in Rohnert Park, CA. In 1995, Vicki earned her teaching credentials at Sonoma State University and accepted a teaching position for the Cotati Rohnert Park Unified School District, where she taught Kindergarten for the next twenty years. She made a huge impact on countless lives throughout her teaching career, not to mention the respect and love of her colleagues.

Vicki never took a day for granted, often reminding others that tomorrow is never promised. She was an avid walker; in fact, she was so competitive that not even her family wanted to try and challenge her.  She loved to dance on the weekends with her husband Jack and have coffee dates in the afternoons at various local coffee shops. She enjoyed traveling with Jack, some of their most memorable vacations included trips to Maui, Saint Martin, Costa Rica, Cabo, Germany, United Kingdom, Norway, France, Italy and countless road trips all over the United States. Her daughters will always cherish their card games, dance parties, spontaneous sing-a-longs, holidays spent together and her unwavering love. She will be remembered by her grandchildren as always being on the ground playing alongside them, rather than observing. She loved them dearly and always made sure to spoil them with handwritten letters, trips to donuts and a spoonful of whipped cream.

Vicki is survived by her husband of 45 years, John “Jack” Heintz; Children, Jenny Heintz, Molly (Kenneth) Malnati, Sally (Andrew) Hewerdine and Jackie (Drew) Boling. Grandchildren, Charlie, Sawyer, Jack, Sienna, Wyatt and Victoria. Siblings, Leslie Cardoza, Kathi (John) Chilcote, Bonnie (Bob) Hagen, as well as her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Misty Crocker, Virgina (Jim) Murphy, Barbara (Bob) Hovey, and Rosemary Heintz, and many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends she called family who will miss her dearly.

Vicki is preceded in death by her parents, Arlington and Elfreda (Berthold) Nelson, brother, Terry Nelson, and brothers-in-law Don Heintz and Bob Cardoza.

Family and friends are invited to attend her Memorial Service on August 7, 2024, at Parent Sorensen Mortuary (850 Keokuk St. Petaluma, California 94952) at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception in Rohnert Park, California. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Vicki’s memory to Marguerite Hahn Elementary of Rohnert Park (checks payable to Marguerite Hahn Elementary can be mailed directly to the school, 825 Hudis Street Rohnert Park, California 94928) or Hospice of Petaluma.

Hospice of Petaluma
416 Payran Street, Petaluma CA 94952
Tel: 1-707-778-6242
Web: http://sonomacountyhospice.org

Marguerite Hahn Elementary School
825 Hudis Street, Rohnert Park CA 94928