Treva Lovila Heiken was born on May 21st, 1933 in Motecello, Iowa,
Her parents, Martha and Ben, were full German and they owned and ran a farm where
they grew and raised all of their food and goods to eat, sell or trade. They had crops of
every kind of vegetable and livestock of cows, pigs & chickens.
Our Grandma made everyones clothes and went from town to town teaching piano to
children.
Mom went to school in a 1 room school house with grades K-8 and graduated from
Montecello High School in 1951. There were only a few kids per grade and mom
remembers being the only one in her class several years in a row. Mom has a big sister,
Ardis, and two brothers, John and Charley.
Mom went to Nursing school in Cooke County, Illinois and graduated valedictorian of
her class. She worked as a nurse in Chicago and later went to work
at the University of Iowa General Hospital. This is where mom and dad met through
mutual friends while my dad was attending the University of Iowa and swimming and
diving on their team. They began dating in the Spring of 1956 and were married in June
of 1957 in Iowa City. Mom became Terri Quick.
By 1963, mom and dad had 2 girls and dad had completed all of his schooling and was
officially a Registered Physical Therapist. With 2 kids, very little money, and a
big dream and vision….mom and dad packed us all up in a wood paneled station
wagon and courageously drove across country to the West Coast and settled in
Chula Vista/Bonita, Ca. Together they designed and built our home and we moved into
Eucalyptus Cove in 1965.
Mom was a true 60’s homemaker. She had breakfast made every morning and dinner
every night, she packed our lunches for school, she made a lot of our clothes and often
dressed Kim and I alike (Much to our dismay) and was very involved in our daily lives
and schooling. She was our room mother, Brownie leader, helped with every project
and was a walking dictionary! Mom decorated our home for every holiday and
celebrated all of our occasions and accomplishments. She helped friends to get
through tough traumas and always made sure we were ok and safe. She was incredibly
creative and artistic and volunteered with the Sharp Community Hospital Auxiliary 25+
years creating beautiful art and crafts to sell and raise money for the hospital. She put
her soft, quiet love into everything she made.
Many years later, our family was blessed with Kim & Steve’s 2 boys, Quinn & Alec and
Mom became a Grandmother. The boys bring so much joy to all of our lives and Mom
loved both our guys dearly.
Mom was the queen of recycling and could teach every “Green” person much about
extreme recycling! She had a great respect of Mother Earth and did her part to protect
her. Mom’s carbon foot print was so tiny and soft on this earth...she was floating with
her angel wings long before she went to Heaven.
Her quote that is engrained in our brains is, “Waste not, want not” and this is truly how
mom lived everyday of her sweet life. Not a single item was ever wasted or thrown away
that could be eaten, re-purposed, donated or recycled.
Mom was a quiet life warrior getting through very hard times in her life and always
saying “We’ll make it through.” And we always did.
Mom taught us and role modeled patience and kindness, good manners and to respect
everyone (especially our elders) and to treat mother nature with love and respect.
Treva (Terri) was the most selfless, honest, thoughtful, respectful and generous person
we have ever known and what a gift that Kim and I got to have her for our Mom.
Mom is home with God now and free of suffering and continues to do her angel work,
watching over all of her loved ones and making sure we are safe and sound.
Her sweet, soft and kind spirit will forever shine, and we are eternally grateful for Mom’s
love and care.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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