Ann Marie Heller, daughter of Irvin & Julia Heller, was born on December 28, 1955, in Council Bluffs at Mercy Hospital. She was baptized and confirmed at Saint Peter Catholic Church in Defiance. She attended St. Paul and St. Boniface Westphalia School before graduating from Irwin-Kirkman High School in 1974. She then attended College of Saint Mary, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Record Administration (Class of ’78).
Ann was a very talented athlete in both basketball and track. She earned many awards during her high school and college career while competing with her sister Mary. These included multiple first place finishes at the Drake Relays and winning the Nebraska State Free Throw Contest on crutches in college. She was the first athlete inducted into the College of Saint Mary Hall of Fame in 2002.
After college, she worked at St. Josephs Center for Mental Health where she was the Director of Medical Records. She later went on to start and direct Iowa Radiology Consultants, P.C. in Carroll.
Ann was raised on a farm outside of Irwin with her six siblings. She learned the foundations of a strong faith and family, and work ethic. She remained a farm girl at heart and every fall during harvest would bring dinners (including her favorite liver and onions) out to the field for her brothers, David and Danny.
Ann married the love of her life, Dr. Laurence Hanigan, at St. Patrick’s Church in Dunlap on August 23, 1980. August 2023 marked the couple’s 43rd wedding anniversary. They went on to have three children, Sean, Ryan, and Adam, who were her pride and joy. Ann was an amazing mother who instilled the importance of faith, family, courage, compassion and commitment, not only in her own children and grandchildren, but also in the lives of those around her. She cherished every moment spent with her family and they were at the heart of every decision she made whether it be school, sports or faith. She was an active member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, in Omaha, Nebr.
Ann also loved spending many weekends at her home in Okoboji, including golfing, boating, swimming, water skiing, snow skiing, playing basketball, bags or just playing cards and board games with her grandkids. Ann could often be found in the kitchen making her cheese dip, banana bars, famous pickles or Christmas cookies and cashew brittle, or behind a sewing machine patching whatever her kids or grandkids could challenge her with saving! She also loved attending soccer, basketball, football or baseball games for any one of her eight grandkids and four step-grandkids. Ann enjoyed watching a Cyclones, Hawkeyes or Blue Jays game on TV, so that she could tease her grandkids about their favorite teams. Either way, she was always supporting her family, and she made sure you heard it from the bleachers! She also loved to travel to Mexico, Hawaii and the U.S. for continuing education trips and vacation with her husband and children.
Ann died on August 13, 2023, in Sioux Falls, SD surrounded by her husband, children, grandchildren and siblings at the age of 67 years, seven months and 16 days.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Irvin and Julia Heller; brother, John Heller; brother-in-law, James Bolejack; and nephew, Joshua Heller. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Laurence Hanigan of Omaha; children, Sean (Samantha) Hanigan of Dunlap, Ryan (Sarah) Hanigan of Bennington, Nebr. and Adam (Hannah) Hanigan of Prairie Grove, Ark.; siblings, Julia Bolejack of Ankeny, Irv (Frankie) Heller, Jr, of Edmond, Okla., Mary (Jeff) Segin of Ankeny, David (Bonnie) Heller of Irwin, and Daniel (Joan) Heller of Irwin; eight grandchildren and four step-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials or contributions can be made in Ann’s name to be used according to the wishes of the family.
Rosary will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
Mass for Immediate Family & Close Friends will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church on Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Luncheon - All welcome at St. Patrick Parish Center on Saturday, September 16, 2023 immediately following mass.
