Marlys Burkheimer

May 24, 1937 - July 28, 2012

Marlys Burkheimer, 75, of Payson, Arizona, formerly of Boone, passed away at Villa Hospice, in Mesa, Arizona, due to respiratory complications on Saturday afternoon, June 30, 2012, with her son by her side. She was born on May 24, 1937 in Boone, Iowa, the daughter of Fred, and Vivian (Willis) Petty. Marlys was a 1955 graduate of Boone High School. She worked at the Iowa Physics Lab at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Marlys and her second husband, Ivan Burkheimer, owned and operated several businesses including the Fairview Motel in Marshalltown, Iowa, Red Rooster Grill in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and the Stein Inn Supper Club in Mason City, Iowa. She was also a graduate of Hamilton Business College in Mason City, Iowa where she worked at Iowa Rewind. Marlys moved to Tempe, Arizona, where she worked in the Admissions Office for athletics at Arizona State University before retiring temporarily to Boone, later moving to Payson, Arizona where she lived for the past 12 years. Marlys enjoyed watching the Arizona Cardinals with her son, and kept up on all Iowa college sports, as well as the Phoenix Suns from her home in Payson. She loved birds, her dog Oreo, as well as talking to her many friends on the phone. Her outgoing, lively, loquacious personality will be missed by many. Her parents; sister, Barbara Jean Tesdall; and aunt, Betty Harrison, preceded her in death. Survivors include her three sons; Joseph Sheehan of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kelly Sheehan of Tempe, Arizona, and Kerry Sheehan of Omaha, Nebraska; a granddaughter, Erin Sheehan; a brother, Fred Petty of Auburn, Alabama; 1 niece; 4 nephews; a sister-in-law, Ruth Buck of Montgomery, Alabama; a brother-in-law, Eugene Tesdall of Story City, Iowa; first husband Joseph Sheehan of Sun City, Arizona; and her second husband Ivan Burkheimer of Mason City, Iowa. Following her wishes, the body has been cremated. Graveside services with interment to follow will be held on Saturday morning, July 28th at 11:00 a.m. at the Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone, Iowa with Rev. Sarah Duffel officiating.