Marcella "Sally" E. Heier, 99, of Park, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2015 at Gove County Medical Center- Long Term Care. Sally was born on May 29, 1916 in Vincent, Kansas, the eldest daughter of the late Joseph and Anna (Mader) Schmidtberger.

At age 6, Sally and her family moved from Vincent to a farm just north of Grainfield, Kansas. When entering grade school, Sally only spoke German, but quickly learned to speak English. She never lost her love for the German culture and her heritage, incorporating that into her travels, cooking and community activities.

The young Sally began her baking career when she decided she was going to make a pie crust while her parents were away one afternoon. She started mixing the ingredients for the crust together, but it wasn't turning out right, so she kept adding flour and water. Soon she had a big ball of dough, flour all over the kitchen, but not an edible pie crust. When she realized her parents would be coming home shortly, she made her sisters help clean-up the kitchen. Sally told one of her sisters to get a shovel and together the girls hid the "evidence" by burying the big ball of dough in the yard. The next morning her mom was looking out the kitchen window and her mom said "aye-yi-yi," what is that thing the dog is dragging around the yard? Sally went into hiding as one of her sisters snitched on her.

On November 16, 1936, Sally married Anthony "Tony" Heier and enjoyed the life of a farmer's wife for 44 years. Sally continued to master her passion for baking by beginning to make and decorate wedding, birthday, specialty cakes and pies which her family and everyone in the community enjoyed. Sally also loved cooking, making her own noodles, breads and often wrote her own recipes. When away from the kitchen, Sally could be found spending time with her grandchildren, pulling weeds in her yard and visiting with friends and neighbors. Sally was very devout in her Catholic faith, was active in the Altar Society at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, American Legion Auxiliary Grainfield, Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Gove County Council on Aging.

Sally is survived by her son Robert Heier, daughter Eileen Yeager, both of Park; brother Victor Schmidtberger of Quinter; sisters-in-law Theresa Heier of Grainfield and Maggie Zerr of Hoxie; grandchildren Tammy Houdeshell, Debbie (Wes) Arnold, Lori (Mike) Stapleton, Valerie Hernandez, all of Colorado Springs, CO, Shelley (Greg) Carroll, Fort Collins, CO, Shannon Yeager Oxford, OH, Sheldon Yeager Freeland, MI, Julie (Brian) Andrews Gastonia, NC, 13 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Tony Heier (Sept. 1980); sons Ronald and Gilbert; daughters Marlene and Virginia; grandson Kevin Heier; and sisters Irene Ziegler, Hilda Wolf and Albina Mowery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Developmental Services of NW Kansas, American Legion Grainfield, Sister Rita Schwartzenberger "Hope for the Village Child", City Park (Park, KS) or Mass intentions. Checks made payable to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S. Main, Quinter, KS 67752.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29th, 2015 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Park. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends Monday, Dec. 28th from 5-6:30 p.m. with rosary at 6:30 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home in Quinter.