Mizzou B-ball fan
10-11-2012, 10:19 AM
Some of you may remember a few years ago where I made an unfortunate off-hand comment about the 'short bus' that I regretted (and said so) in hindsight due to the fact that I had a family member that should have caused me to be more sensitive to those kinds of comments.
This weekend, Wallace passed away.
Wallace W. Heermann, 75, of Emma, MO, died Saturday, October 6, 2012, at Apple Ridge Care Center in Waverly, MO.
Born March 6, 1937, in Sullivan County, MO, he was the son of the late Hugo Heermann and Leona Haesemeier Heermann. He had lived in the Emma community most of his life and was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Emma. He had worked at the Sheltered Workshop in Higginsville, MO.
Survivors include numerous cousins.
He was a fantastic influence on my childhood and later in life. Wallace was born with mental disabilities (not sure of the exact reason behind it). He was an adult who had the mental abilities of a 10 year old. But that didn't deter him in any way from having a full and enjoyable life.
I can remember Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners where we got to hang out with Wallace all day when we were kids. The family was large so we always had adult and kids tables to sit at. Wallace would always sit with us at the kids tables, despite the fact that he was in his mid 40s while we were in elementary school. He loved to hang out with us, goof around with cars and Lincoln Logs, and we thought he was the greatest adult ever. He loved to tell bad jokes and ham it up with the adults. He didn't have a mean bone in his body.
He occasionally brought 'girlfriends' from his community to gatherings as we got older. It was always fun to see them hanging out and in the puppy love stage. They'd think that holding hands was the most risque thing you could ever do.
He worked at a workshop assembling things like Easter Eggs for his whole life. He loved to go to work, even though the tasks that they were doing would bore most of us to tears in a few days. He loved making money and taking it to buy something that interested him.
He lived to 75 years of age, which is incredible. In an age where most parents would have taken a child like him to a home, his parents did a great job of raising him to be a great person and a great contributor to society. They've long passed away, but they were way ahead of their time and they deserve a great deal of credit as well.
I'm sure that Wallace is in a much better place now and I'm happy for him.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/57933_10151092526301811_300708906_n.jpg
This weekend, Wallace passed away.
Wallace W. Heermann, 75, of Emma, MO, died Saturday, October 6, 2012, at Apple Ridge Care Center in Waverly, MO.
Born March 6, 1937, in Sullivan County, MO, he was the son of the late Hugo Heermann and Leona Haesemeier Heermann. He had lived in the Emma community most of his life and was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Emma. He had worked at the Sheltered Workshop in Higginsville, MO.
Survivors include numerous cousins.
He was a fantastic influence on my childhood and later in life. Wallace was born with mental disabilities (not sure of the exact reason behind it). He was an adult who had the mental abilities of a 10 year old. But that didn't deter him in any way from having a full and enjoyable life.
I can remember Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners where we got to hang out with Wallace all day when we were kids. The family was large so we always had adult and kids tables to sit at. Wallace would always sit with us at the kids tables, despite the fact that he was in his mid 40s while we were in elementary school. He loved to hang out with us, goof around with cars and Lincoln Logs, and we thought he was the greatest adult ever. He loved to tell bad jokes and ham it up with the adults. He didn't have a mean bone in his body.
He occasionally brought 'girlfriends' from his community to gatherings as we got older. It was always fun to see them hanging out and in the puppy love stage. They'd think that holding hands was the most risque thing you could ever do.
He worked at a workshop assembling things like Easter Eggs for his whole life. He loved to go to work, even though the tasks that they were doing would bore most of us to tears in a few days. He loved making money and taking it to buy something that interested him.
He lived to 75 years of age, which is incredible. In an age where most parents would have taken a child like him to a home, his parents did a great job of raising him to be a great person and a great contributor to society. They've long passed away, but they were way ahead of their time and they deserve a great deal of credit as well.
I'm sure that Wallace is in a much better place now and I'm happy for him.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/57933_10151092526301811_300708906_n.jpg