Obituary of Wesley Heilman

Wesley Lawrence Heilman, age 94, formerly of Green and Miltonvale, Kansas, walked through the doorway we call death on Friday, May 24, 2019 in Circleville, Ohio.

Wesley was born on October 14, 1924 at the family farmhouse in Green.  He was the eldest child of David M. and Clara M. (Rieker) Heilman.  He began helping with farm chores at an early age.  At 5 he had his own cow to milk by hand each morning and evening.  By the time he went to school that number had increased to 2-4.  Farm work was done with horses.  The family attended the Ebenezer Methodist Church.  They began learning English when Wesley began attending school.

Wesley was a farmer the majority of his life.  He was also self-employed in sales, earning top selling awards with the Jayhawk Life Insurance company.  He spent time working for a manufacturing firm and boiled eggs for Key Farms.  He enjoyed custom combining and filling silo for himself and for hire.

On April 15, 1961 he married Margaret Richman, whom he had met while on a trip to South Dakota with his siblings.  He stayed at the Indian School where she was working to help with a construction project while the others traveled on, breaking down and leaving him stranded.

After marrying in Clay Center, Wesley and Margaret farmed the family dairy farm together.  They raised their three girls there.  He was always so proud of each of their accomplishments in both school and music.  They attended the Clay Center Wesleyan Church where he helped with the construction  of the new church and sang bass in the choir.

After the grandchildren came along, he enjoyed traveling to Alaska several summers where he spent time helping with the construction of a log church for North Pole Missionary Chapel.  He also got to experience his first time fishing from a boat and hooking his first fish: an Alaskan salmon.

After joining the Bible Methodist Church in Miltonvale, Wesley and Margaret settled in Miltonvale, but often Wesley could still be found at the farm in Green.  When he could no longer drive a car, he could be seen racing around Miltonvale, bouncing off curbs in his golf cart.

Wesley loved being with people, learning about their story and sharing his own.

Wesley is survived by his wife, Margaret Heilman, his three daughters:  Beth Seniva and husband Art of North Pole, Alaska; Rachel Sones and husband Rodney of Circleville, Ohio; and Lois Chapman and husband Dale of Knoxville, Tennessee, three sisters, Esther Wease of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Naomi Rogers and husband David of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Miriam Westenhaver and husband Robert of Chattanooga, Tennessee; 6 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Philip Heilman and Paul Heilman and one sister, Ruth Chestnut and one grandson, David Eric Seniva.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 pm Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at the Ebenezer United Methodist Church, south of Green with Rev. Dale Chapman, son-in-law, officiating.  The family will receive friends at the viewing preceding the funeral service from 12:00 – 1:30 pm Wednesday at the church.  Burial will follow in the Ebenezer Cemetery.

Memorials have been established for Mission Aviation Fellowship and God's Bible School and College.  Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.