Margaret J. Heinkel , age 94 of Lena passed away on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at the Lena Living Center. She was born on March 5, 1923 to Carl and Fannie (Wagner) Bitz in Winslow Township. She graduated from Winslow High School in 1940, attended an extra year of High School in Lena because she was too young to start nursing school. Margaret graduated from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Freeport in 1944. She joined the Army Nurse Corps in May 1945 as a 2 ^nd Lieutenant and was discharged in August 1946. She married Harold Heinkel on December 1, 1946 at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lena. Margaret worked part time at St. Claire Hospital in Monroe and farmed with Harold in the Winslow area. She was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Lena. She was a past member of the Stephenson County Homemaker's Extension, volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program in Lena, the Friendship Center in Lena and the Volunteer Hospice of Northwest Illinois in Stockton. Margaret loved to crochet and play cards.

She is survived by her 5 children- Kathy (Bruce) Baumgartner of Lena, Robert (Ann) Heinkel of Branden, FL, David (Karlene) Heinkel of Elkland, MO, Ruth (Jon) Werkheiser of Lena and Judy (David) Zier of Lena; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Verena Heinkel of Lena; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold on October 7, 2011, daughter Elizabeth Heinkel in 1956, sisters Pauline Finkle and Doris Kempert, brothers- in-law Allen Heinkel, Darold Finkle and Eugene Kempert.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday October 8, 2017 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Lena.

Visitation will be from 1:30 to 3:00 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church.

Officiating will be Pastor Rick Bader.

Luncheon will follow the service at St. John's Lutheran Church.

Cremation rites accorded, interment will take place at a later date.