Carl Heisner
Carl Heisner passed away peacefully at Massac Memorial Hospital at 2:54 a.m. Monday, June 12, 2023, at the age of 92 years, 10 months and 19 days.
He was born on July 24, 1930, in Grand Chain, the son of Jacob and Anna Catherine Rehg Heisner. He was the youngest of seven siblings. He graduated from Grand Chain Community High School in 1948.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a combat veteran and attained the rank of staff sergeant.
He had the privilege, later in life, of experiencing an Honor Flight and then had the opportunity of a lifetime to return to South Korea shortly after he retired and revisited many of the places he had been while in the war.
He was a lifelong member of the Grand Chain Congregational Church, a member of Vienna Masonic Lodge No. 423, the Scottish Right Bodies, Valley of Southern Illinois and the Ainad Shrine Temple.
He was a man’s man and a community supporter. He gave much of his life doing for others. He was a master builder who could build anything out of anything, creative problem solver, coached numerous ball teams, served as a Boy Scout master and leader of the Explorers, an extension of the Boy Scouts.
He never met a stranger and was a friend to everyone. He gave the best hugs and never failed to say, “I love you.”
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Viola (Johnson) Heisner; son Steve (Heather) Heisner; daughter Robin (Greg) Newcomb; stepson Chris Parker (Aaron) and stepdaughter Shanna (Lynnie) Crane; grandchildren Damien Heisner and friend Nataly Amazar, Nick (Karla) Parker, Collin (Kendra) Parker, Amber (Eric) Seals, Haley (Jayden) Johnson and Ashley Newcomb and fiance Jordan Brown; great-grandchildren Gavin and Colton Seals and Micaela and Lucia Parker. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Anna Lee Heisner; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Mary Elizabeth and Larry Trovillion; as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Anna Catherine Heisner; siblings Russell Heisner, Vera Brown, Ella Badgely, Helen Hubard, Raymond Heisner and Robert Heisner; his father and mother-in-law Edward and Virgie Johnson; brother-in-law Hillis Johnson; and daughter-in-law LaRae Parker.
Funeral services were at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak. Masonic rites were given at 12:30 p.m. by the Vienna Masonic Lodge. Bro. Gerell Cain officiated.
Interment followed at the Masonic Cemetery in Grand Chain. Full military honors were accorded by the Illinois National Guard funeral detail team and area veterans.
To leave an online message for the family or to share a memory, visit www.wilsonfuneralhome1928.com.
Wilson Funeral Home in Karnak was in charge of arrangements.