Muriel Marie Heermans

Muriel V. Heermans passed away on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. She was born October 2, 1933 to William & Juanita Voigts in Phoenix, Az. She is preceded in death by her husband Col. William H. Heermans III, her parents and brother, John. Muriel is survived by her children: William IV, Kevin (Lisa) Heermans, Patricia (Paul) Bromm, and Jeff Heermans; grandchildren: Paige (Alex) Vandersluijs, Aaron Heermans, John (Niki) Stapleton, Elizabeth (Anthony) Gehin, Allison (Aaron) Sprowl; 3 great grandchildren; many relatives and friends.

Muriel was born and raised in Arizona, was a graduate of Phoenix Union High School and attended Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. Her life centered around her family and her church. She took great pride in her home, in her children, and she shared great love and affection with her children, and with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As a mother of four, she was definitely “the Organizer”. When her husband was transferred from Norton AFB in California to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, she somehow managed to organize and execute a three week cross-country “fun sight-seeing trip” in a station wagon pulling a travel trailer…for a family of six…the youngest child being under the age of two. AND, everyone survived. Summer vacations at the beach were a yearly event, sometimes piling kids and grandkids into the home for the week and one of the family’s shared memories was her tradition of bringing homemade soups for the first evening of every beach vacation. She and her husband, Bill were wise to always add another week of alone time at the shore after the place cleared out of extended family.

Muriel was a devoted wife of an Air Force fighter pilot and career military officer. The family lived in Texas, Japan, Oklahoma, California and Ohio, and regardless of the assignment, she was an involved military wife, quickly finding her niche as a thrift shop worker. Anyone who knows Muriel knows that at any given time, she had a stash of items purchased at the Thrift Shop for all birthday/Christmas celebrations.

Muriel also took great joy in serving her church community, and for the past thirty five years, she was an active member at the Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna, VA. Muriel served as a member of the Alter Guild, was a Lay Reader, a Chalice Bearer, a Eucharistic Visitor, and a longstanding volunteer at Pennywise Thrift Shop.

Muriel had a wicked sense of humor and deep love of the written word, and for many, many years, she showcased her Erma Bombeck style of writing with her annual Heermans Family Christmas Letters.

The family wishes to thank all the health care professionals over the last year for their exceptional care of Muriel, from numerous hospital visits to most recently, Livin’ Right Home Health Care and Capital Caring Hospice. The family would especially like to thank Dr. Camila Sahebi for her exceptional care and compassion throughout Muriel’s battle with cancer.

Memorial Services will be held Friday, Dec. 16, 2016 at 1:00 pm at Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Rd, Vienna, VA 22180. Rev. Valerie Hayes, Celebrant. There will be a reception in the Church’s McGill Hall following the memorial service.