DeAubrass (Dee) Heifner slipped peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at 05:42am on December 5th, 2020 with her son, Patrick Heifner

at her bedside. She did not suffer.

Dee, as she was known to family and friends, was born on March 17th, 1934 to parents Ernest Robert Scott and Lula Ardith Britton Scott in Farber, Missouri where she lived until the family moved to Laddonia, Missouri attending Laddonia High School and playing basketball as a sophomore until her graduation as Valedictorian of her senior class in 1952.

Dee married Navy serviceman Paul A. Heifner in 1954, and while stationed in Florida in 1956, she gave birth to their oldest son, Michael E. Heifner. In 1959, she gave birth to son Patrick when the family was stationed in Washington, D.C.

Dee worked as a secretary in government service while living in a variety of naval stations, including California and Puerto Rico. Post military life the family returned to native Missouri, living in St Louis until moving to Tulsa, Ok. in 1965.

During her 12 years in Tulsa, Dee raised her sons and worked as an executive secretary at Williams Bros Engineering Co. Always striving to improve, she attended night classes at Tulsa University, yet remained active in her church, Gospel Assembly.

Through the years she volunteered faithfully in the church library, taught secretarial skills in the church school, Gospel Assembly Christian Academy, and coached the girls basketball team. Her basketball days in high school were ever with her.

In 1977, Dee returned to St. Louis, Mo. where she faithfully attended Gospel Church and continued working in a variety of secretarial/clerical positions including a medical company, and Missouri Pacific Railroad until a downturn in the economy led to a layoff.

While seeking other employment in the St. Louis region, Dee visited her son Patrick, in Bloomington, Indiana in 1983. During her visit, she applied at Indiana University, where she was initially told she was overqualified for any of the current openings. However, upon her return to St. Louis, she was contacted by Indiana University and subsequently hired.

Dee lived in Bloomington, In. attending Gospel Assembly Church and working as an account monitor in the computer science department at Indiana University until retirement in 1999. She was an avid follower of Indiana University basketball until her death.

Upon retirement, Dee moved to Joplin, Mo. attending Silvercreek Gospel Assembly with her son, Michael and his wife, Donna. Not one to sit back and relax, Dee worked for the 2000 census, volunteered at the Joplin library, and visited the elderly and shut-ins from her church.

In 2006, Dee moved to Phoenix, Az. and attended Gospel Assembly Church until a diagnosis of congestive heart failure(CHF), required her to move closer to immediate family. Consequently, she returned to Bloomington, In. in 2008, where she maintained an apartment until moving in with son Patrick and his wife Cindy in 2011.

Due to declining health, in 2017, it became necessary for Dee to move into Bell Trace Health and Living Center where her only grand-daughter Leah Heifner Warren (whom she helped raise) was employed. She received wonderful care until her demise, and she equally loved and was loved by many of the staff there.

Dee was preceded in death by her parents Ernest and Ardith Scott, ex-husband Paul Heifner, and brother-in-law Gary Bogar.

She is survived by sister Francis Jordan(Dale) of St. Louis, Mo., sister Wilma Bogar of Bozeman, Mt., son Michael Heifner(Donna) of Joplin, Mo., son Patrick Heifner(Cindy) of Bloomington, In., grand-daughter Leah Heifner Warren(Thaddeus) of Bloomington, In., great-granddaughters Camille Heifner Warren(17), Gretchen Warren(14), Penelope Warren(10), Meredith Warren(7) and Charlotte Warren(4).

Dee was also survived by nieces Cheryl Jordan, Pam Jordan, Jill Jordan, nephew Dale Jordan, nieces Christina Bogar, Lisa Bogar(Mark Cunane), Louisa Nance(David) and foster grandson Justin Baker.

Dee is also survived by indeed too many cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews to name here, nor to mention all who had counted her as part of their own family. She lived the epitomy of the word JOY as an acronym: JESUS first, then OTHERS, and finally YOURSELF. She loved her family; yet above all she loved God, His son Jesus, and His church, and faithfully served God's people. She lived her testimony until the end, should we do any less? We CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Yea and amen.