Rhonda Sue Heitzman passed away March 24, 2022, at home surrounded by her two daughters, loving husband, son-in-law, and granddaughter after a one-year battle with cancer. She was born in Winterset, Iowa to parents Billie H. Allen and Ida G. (Palmer) Allen. She moved cross country with her family growing up for her father’s work, spending time in Greeley, Colorado, and finally settling in Chehalis, Washington, where she graduated from W.F. West High School in 1983. She raised her daughter Amber (Heitzman) Harper as a single mother before meeting the love of her life, Gene M. Heitzman, playing wallyball with friends in 1990. They married Jan. 24, 1992 and Gene adopted Amber. They went on to have Derrick (1993) and Stevie (1995) joining their sister Amber in the mix.
Rhonda enjoyed her animals Mandy, Shelley and now Piper, rock music, particularly AC/DC, her car racing and the racing community in the Pacific Northwest and worldwide.
She worked at Weyerhaeuser as a janitor from 1992 until 2020. She made lots of friends and enjoyed the yearly camping trip to Fort Flagler State Park where she loved to catch crabs and enjoy time with the family and her coworkers.
She is survived by her husband Gene; daughters Amber (Heitzman) Harper (James Harper), and Stevie Heitzman; son Derrick Heitzman; granddaughters Carolyn (Harper) Fish (Hayden Fish), Adrieauna Harper, and Gracie Harper; great-granddaughters Hazel Fish and Claire Clark; her brother Curtis Allen; and lots nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Billie and Ida Allen, her sister Theresa Logan, brother Donald Allen, and nephew Adam Logan.
If you’d like to donate money, Rhonda would like proceeds to go to the Cancer Research Institute or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Rhonda and the Heitzman family would like to acknowledge the extraordinary care received by registered nurse Vicki, and Emily, a care coordinator through Providence Sound Hospice. Rhonda and the family were very thankful for all the visitors, laughs and memories while she was on hospice.
Final arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held April 17, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Newaukum Grange, 710 Old Hwy. 603, Chehalis, Washington, 98532.
