Obituary
Following is Heidi’s full obituary. Thank you to Heidi’s sister Kate for taking the lead on this wonderful remembrance.
Heidi Rae Steffen Mogush, 46, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was born on November 3, 1977, in Spencer, Iowa, the second daughter of Terry Donald and Marcia Rae (Albers) Steffen. She was welcomed home to the Happy Hog Haven, their farm north of Linn Grove, by a proud Katie, her two-year-old sister. Nine years later, Heidi was delighted to add a brother to the family when Jessob was born.
Heidi was baptized and confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal, Iowa. She attended Sioux Valley elementary school in Peterson, Iowa, and Sioux Central Community schools in Linn Grove and Sioux Rapids, Iowa. Kate, Heidi, and Yannick Perrin, their Swiss exchange heart-sister, had quite a few adventures in the Plymouth Volare - who thought giving three teenage girls a rear-wheel drive 8-cylinder car was not a recipe for frequent trips into the ditch? Five times in one winter!
Heidi’s love of music led her to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa for her post-secondary studies in vocal music education. She loved life at Luther and in Decorah, where the weather was always beautiful, even during snowstorms. Heidi and Paul met at Luther, and became close while studying for music history exams. It wasn’t long before calls to the farm included references to the dreamy young man who had captured Heidi’s heart.
Heidi’s earliest jobs were babysitting and working as a nanny for kids that became extended family for her. A musician to her core, Heidi combined her love of music and children when working as an elementary school music teacher, piano and vocal teacher, and children’s choir director.
The most important children in Heidi’s life are her boys - Benjamin, Gilbert, and Jackson. Heidi’s years of thoughtful parenting and efforts as a homeschool mom are bearing fruit in the well-rounded and healthy young men they are becoming.
Self-described as a farm girl living in the city, Heidi was perhaps most famous in her neighborhood as a grower of gardens - she often said, “I’m trying to feed my family here!” She was so happy when the large ash tree in the backyard had to be removed due to disease because life-giving sunshine replaced the shade that stunted her biggest garden’s growth.
Heidi started her blog, How to be Heidi to write about her garden, cancer, health, and life; her unique writer’s voice captured her thoughts beautifully and touched her readers regardless of the post topic. It is a wonderful time capsule of her world over the past four years.
Heidi believed with all her heart that the care she received at the Hennepin County Medical Center was the best available; she even served on a patient advisory board and was a model for HCMC’s patient testimonial posters. Her family extends a sincere thank you to the staff there for their care and concern for Heidi throughout her time as a patient.
Heidi died at home on September 22, 2024. Both her heavenly Father and her earthly one were there to welcome her to heaven, and that is a comfort to the family and friends cherishing memories of her for the rest of their lives.
Those who love Heidi will gather for her funeral on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities, Minneapolis Campus (4100 Lyndale Ave S). We will reflect on the contributions she made to all of our lives and the ways she impacted the world during her too-brief life on earth.
Please do not send flowers. If you would like to commemorate Heidi with a memorial gift, consider the following:
Seed Savers Exchange (https://seedsavers.org/give/)
MacPhail Center for Music (https://www.macphail.org/giving/)
Arts on Grand (https://www.artsongrand.org/donate.php)
Contribute to the Mogush/Steffen boys’ educational and enrichment experiences (travel, mountain biking, etc)
Anything else that would honor Heidi’s legacy
Gill Brothers Southwest Minneapolis Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Heidi lived her Devastatingly Beautiful life all-out. She was a bright light even on the darkest of days, and her last words to so many were an expression of love.
This is devastating. It is crushing, but it is more than that. My new perspective brings agony but it also brings joy. There is nothing like deep sadness to help me see what I already have in front of me and what I have is a beautiful life. I have a life so beautiful, so full of love, so wonderful that I don't want to leave it. Devastating news, yes, but only because I have such a devastatingly beautiful life. Could anyone ask for more? – Heidi Mogush, 10/30/23