Meriel Joanne Heinsohn

Meriel Joanne Gralow was an only child born at home in Clintonville, WI on March 28, 1927. She passed away at the age of 97 in Bakersfield, CA. Her parents were Martin and Nellie Gralow, her father a printer and her mother a former teacher and proofreader. Meriel attended school in Clintonville through the seventh grade. Her parents then moved to Hilbert, WI. In her sophomore year, Meriel started sewing her own clothes and was a cheerleader at Hilbert High School. In the middle of her sophomore year the family moved to Menasha, WI. Meriel was very active in high school: designing and sewing costumes for high school plays, co-editor of the yearbook in her senior year, and valedictorian upon graduation in 1945.

Her desire was to be a Mathematics teacher so she enrolled at Oshkosh State Teachers College. She belonged to Phoenix Society, loved to dance, and was co-editor of the yearbook. In 1949, she graduated with high honors with a major in Mathematics, minors in English and Physics. Her first position, which lasted four years, was teaching mathematics at East DePere High School, Wisconsin. During a couple summers, she and a college roommate worked at a resort in Door County, WI. In 1952, she and her mother took the train to New York City and boarded the Norwegian Ocean Liner, Oslo Fjord, arriving in Oslo, Norway on July 4. They spent a month visiting sights and relatives in Norway and then went to seven other countries. After nine weeks, they took their first airplane flight of 18 hours from London to New York.

In 1953, Meriel started teaching advanced math at Washington Park High School in Racine, WI. She joined the Racine Theater Guild so she would meet other people, as well as teachers. A mutual friend introduced her to John Gardiner Heinsohn in September, 1955. That started a whirlwind courtship. They were engaged on January 28, 1956, and married at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Neenah, WI, on July 28, 1956. When John was transferred by the J. C. Penney Company to Janesville, WI, in February, 1959, Meriel resigned her teaching position in Racine. She was an excellent organizer. In the fall of 1959, she participated in the Farm Census in Janesville Township. In 1960 she was hired to be in charge of the Janesville City census and then oversaw the Green County census summary. In the fall of 1960, she taught at Janesville High School. When John decided to change professions in 1961, they moved to Petoskey, Michigan. Meriel then enjoyed the freedom of playing bridge, skiing, golfing, and homemaking.

John became CEO of the Riverside Clinic in Menasha, WI, in May, 1962. On their seventh wedding anniversary, they moved into Meriel’s dream house in Neenah (Menasha’s twin city). In 1964, Eric John Heinsohn was born. In 1967, a sister joined him, Marti Loren Heinsohn. She was named after her grandfathers, Martin Gralow and Lorenzo Heinsohn. Meriel was exceedingly busy in volunteer work and organizations: Neenah-Menasha Woman’s Club, District President of Wisconsin Federated Woman’s Clubs, Visiting Nurse Association.

The family moved to California in 1975 and John became CEO of the Visalia Medical Clinic. Meriel substitute taught in Visalia junior and senior high schools. Through the years, she became active in the community and was a member and past-president of: Tulare County Symphony League, Christ Lutheran Church Women, Associated Charities Board, P.E.O. Chapter UR, Visalia Woman’s Club, and Visalia Investors Association. She loved to sew and never bought a drapery or a curtain. She made her suits, dresses, and coats until pants became fashionable. She loved to dance, play bridge, entertain, cook and travel. In 1976, she organized a bridge marathon for women and couples to raise money for scholarships. She ran it for 21 years.

When John retired in 1990, they started to seriously travel. The two of them traveled on their own, on tours, and cruises on most of the continents. She said some of the best trips had been the ones they planned themselves in the United States and Europe. They especially enjoyed taking the whole family including children and grandchildren to the annual Gardiner Family Reunion, to the Midwest, mainly Wisconsin, and to Hawaii. Their 50th wedding anniversary was celebrated with the family on Kauai. Meriel and their kids went zip-lining.

When she was 80, she wrote and published copies for her family of her life story. At 90, she published an addendum. Meriel dearly loved her children and grandchildren. She happily sat with grandkids when their parents wanted to travel.

Meriel lost her dearest friend, love, and husband John of over 55 years in 2012. She is survived by son Eric Heinsohn (Angie), daughter Marti Lari (David) and four grandchildren: Andrew Lari, Morgan Armas (Cole), Crenshaw Heinsohn, and Alden Heinsohn. She was preceded in death by her parents Martin and Nellie Gralow and an infant son in 1965.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, July 12, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 3830 W. Tulare Avenue, Visalia, CA 93277. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Christ Lutheran Church or the P.E.O. Sisterhood. ( www.peointernational.org/make-a-gift/).