Russell Thomas Heifner
Russell Heifner
Beloved husband, father, and brother, Russell Thomas Heifner, age 84, from Sarasota, Florida peacefully left us in the early morning hours of July 23, 2024, from liver cancer. We were able to get him home from the hospital so he could spend his last few days with his love, wife Maria Nania, and their two dogs, Jasper and Maci Mae. Russ will join his parents, Thomas and Argen Heifner, his brother Orlo and his sister, Darlene in Heaven.
He leaves behind his ex-wife, Donna Pitoniak, his two children, Ginger Carter and Steven Heifner, his grandchildren, Holly Heminger, Lindsey Heifner and Madison Heifner, his great grandchildren, Alyssa and Annabel Heminger and namesake, Oliver Russell Franks, and his brothers and sisters, Don, Carl, Paul, Lela, DeElda, June, and Susan.
Like his father before him, Russ was a learned religious scholar and followed the teachings of the Berean Bible Society. He lived a life of adventure and athleticism, traveling with his wife, Maria to Europe, Asia and South America. He served 4 years in the Navy as a radar man on a destroyer, graduated from the University of Minnesota, worked for the Ohio Casualty Insurance Group his whole career, retired early and played competitive softball until a month before his passing. He lived a great life, touched many hearts and we look forward to seeing him again one day. He will be missed but his spirit lives on.
Russ was a good friend and I so enjoyed knowing him.
He will be missed.
I played softball with Russ for many years and he was also a member of our Men’s Luncheon.
Aloha Russ
Russ was a great guy
Best pitcher in the league!
We all miss you Russ
RIP brother !
I played senior softball for many years, often as co-managers
Russ was a very skillful pitcher. He had a hitting style that was his alone
He was always even tempered no matter what was occurring.
One thing he loved more than softball was joining his wife Maria on their
cruises. I miss him.