Mary Teresa Heinen

Mary Teresa Sifuentes Heinen, 78, of Wichita Falls, passed away on Monday November 18, 2024, after a brief illness. Teresa was born on October 15, 1946 in Torreon, Mexico. She moved to Wichita Falls, Texas with her parents when she was 8 years old. She attended Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School and later Mary Immaculate Academy where she developed several friendships that lasted throughout her lifetime.

Teresa’s lifelong passion was caring for and working in the mental health field. In the various positions she held over her 40+ year career, she impacted the lives of countless individuals. To her, it was never “just a job” but truly the opportunity to change lives. She retired from Helen Farabee Center in 2022 after serving tirelessly in the Benefits Eligibility Program. Her decision to retire later in life came from her devotion to her clients. She struggled with stepping away when she knew there were so many more people that she could help.

As the oldest of 8 siblings, Teresa was deeply devoted to her family. After the passing of her parents, she became the surrogate matriarch, always looking out for her siblings and their families, and wanting to keep the large family unit close.

Teresa’s greatest joy were her 2 children, Jeff and Kimberly, along with her 9 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. When her house was full of rambunctious laughter, so was her heart.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Manuel and Margarita Sifuentes, her sister, Sandy Sifuentes-Hibbits, and her son, Jeffory Heinen. She is survived by her life partner, Gail Austin of Wichita Falls. Her daughter, Kimberly Heinen and daughter-in-law, Tina Walker, of Garland, Texas. Her grandchildren, Ty Heinen-Walker and Elan Heinen-Walker of Garland Texas, Amanda Fluharty and her husband, Joe, Ashley Reed and her husband, Dayton, Amber Heinen, all of Henrietta, Texas, Adam Heinen of Wichita Falls, James Heinen, Addison Heinen, and Alyssa Heinen, all of Petrolia, Texas. Her daughter-in-law, Virginia Heinen of Petrolia, Texas. Her great-grandchildren, Hutson, Harper, and Hayes Fluharty, Keagan and Kallen Bernal, Brook’Lynn Minniefield, and Kasey Webb. Her siblings, Mary Lou Worrell and brother-in-law, Dennis, of Austin, Texas, John Manuel Sifuentes and sister-in-law, Christine, of Grapevine, Texas, Agnes Fisher and brother-in-law, Rob, of Wichita Falls, Marcy Dombkowski and brother-in-law, John, of The Colony, Texas, Joey Sifuentes, of New York City, New York, and Jerry Sifuentes of Richardson, Texas, as well as a numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A visitation will be held Monday, November 25, 2024 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home, 1917 Archer City Highway, Wichita Falls, Texas 76302. A funeral service will occur Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home.