Benjamin Carl Heeren

Little Rock, IA       Benjamin Heeren age 92, of Little Rock, IA died Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society in Waconia, MN.      Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 26th at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock, IA, with Rev. David Poppen officiating.      Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Little Rock, IA, with military honors by Buss Johnson American Legion Post 316.      Visitation will be Monday, February 25th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock.      The Jurrens Funeral Home of Little Rock, IA is in charge of arrangements.      Benjamin Carl Heeren was born on December 8, 1926 in Ashton, IA, to Eltjo and Henrietta (Buss) Heeren. He attended country school and graduated from the 8th grade. Ben moved with his parents to Little Rock in 1946 and was a farm-to-market trucker. At age 18 he was drafted into the Army during WW II. The war ended prior to his service. On February 16, 1950, he was united in marriage to Fern Broesder. The couple lived in Little Rock, had two daughters and were married for sixty years. In June of 1952, he was reinstated into the Army and served in the Korean War. Ben was sent to Germany in January 1953 with the 7th Army 40th AAA Gun Battalion where he served for 18 months. After returning home, he worked for Bruns Motor Company. Later he started his own business, “Heeren Motor Service.” In 1969, he began working for Horton Chevrolet in Sibley as a mechanic and service manager. After his retirement he worked part-time at Corner Service in Little Rock. He was a member of Salem Reformed Church and served as Sunday school treasurer, deacon and elder. He served on the Little Rock Fire Department and was a life-long member of the Bruss Johnson American Legion Post 316. Ben loved woodworking and made many beautiful handcrafted items for his family and friends.      Ben is survived by his two daughters, Florene (Jeff) Theis of Carver, MN and Luann Heeren of Worthington, MN; two grandsons, Brian and Gabrielle Theis and Kyle and Emily Theis; one granddaughter, Jenna Theis and fiancé Ryan Murphy; one great-grandson, Rhett Brian Theis; two sisters-in-law, Myrna Heeren (Jim Fairchild) and Ann (Gordon) Larson; and two nieces and one nephew.      He was preceded in death by his wife, Fern; his parents; infant brother, Maret Dale; brother, Elmer; nephews, Curtis Heeren, Verlyn Broesder, Merle Broesder, LeRoy Broesder, Jr.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Alvin and Delores Broesder; and brother-in-law, LeRoy Broesder.