Mary Anne Hesling

Mary Anne Hesling, 94, of Clive and formerly Oskaloosa, passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at her home in The Arbor at Walnut Ridge in Clive. Mary Anne Hesling, daughter of John F. and Mary Elizabeth (Walling) Hamilton, was born on January 26, 1930, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Growing up with her three sisters in Oskaloosa was great fun. They enjoyed meeting their friends downtown for treats and ice skating at the Forest Cemetery pond. Mary Anne enjoyed sports. Her first victory was beating all the boys in the 8th grade ping pong tournament at Grant School. At Oskaloosa High School, she excelled in math and “majored in sociology.” Making friends was her forte,’ and throughout her life, she enjoyed meeting people and socializing. Mary Anne married John W. Hesling on May 9, 1947. They made their home in Oskaloosa, where she was in charge of raising their three sons. In her 20s, Mary Anne took up golf and collected several Elmhurst golf titles. Also, she and John played two-ball regularly with friends. In her 30s, she took up tennis and won several Jefferson Cups at the Elmhurst annual tournaments. In her 50s, Mary Anne began playing the harp. She took lessons from a Catholic Nun at Indian Hills Community College and diligently practiced. She enjoyed playing at church and events in the town square. John and Mary Anne attended the First Presbyterian Church and St. Paul Congregational United Church of Christ through the years. She loved to sing in the church choir and at casual talent shows with friends. Her sons say she sounded like Dinah Shore. In the old days, the arrival of the Sears catalog was a big event. Later, she became Talbot’s best friend. One of Mary Anne and John’s favorite vacation spots was Steamboat Springs in Colorado. There, they enjoyed time with friends, the beauty of the mountains, and the challenge of the ski slopes. They also invested in a quaint lakeside cottage at Lake Minnewaska in Minnesota. John loved making structural improvements, and Mary Anne put her unique decorating touch on the interior. It was a perfect place to relax and enjoy golf, tennis, and lakeside sunsets with friends and family. In Oskaloosa, Mary Anne is remembered as a faithful walker. She was out on her route every day, getting in all her steps. Mary Anne’s friends were very important to her. The gals from high school remained lifelong friends known as the Goof Girls. She also enjoyed bridge club. In later years, she met with friends regularly in a wine group and with the Red Hat Ladies. In 2015, Mary Anne moved to West Des Moines to be closer to family. She spent a great deal of time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, many of whom were only 10 minutes away. While continuing to see her Osky pals, she made a new group of faithful friends at Pointe West. Her final year was spent at The Arbor in Walnut Ridge in Clive, where she gathered another new group of friends. Their loving care and support will be remembered always. Her family includes her sons, John and Sue Hesling of West Des Moines, Dan and Germaine Heslinga of Honolulu, and Charley and Tracy Hesling of Ottumwa; eight grandchildren: Geoff (Wendy) Heslinga of Des Moines, Andrew (Megan) Heslinga of West Des Moines, Mari Heslinga of Portland, OR, Anne Heslinga of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Savanna (Elijah) Williams of Leighton, Alex (Casey) Nydle of Ottumwa, Nik Batterson of Ottumwa, and Ryder Hesling of Ottumwa; seven great-grandchildren: Bradley, Clare, Max, Liam, Kolby, Kasen, and Hadley; and two sisters-in-law, Mary Heslinga and JoAnne Cooper. In addition to her parents, Mary Anne was preceded in death by John on September 23, 1990, and three sisters, Josephine Fageol, Jean Chapman, and Elizabeth Hamilton. A Celebration of Mary Anne’s Life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Langkamp Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa. A private family burial will follow at Forest Cemetery. Visitation will be held from noon to service time on Saturday. Memorial contributions can be made to Presbyterian Homes and Services.

Mary Anne Hesling

January 26, 1930 - June 5, 2024