Carol Emily (Transki) Heppner

Olean- Carol Emily Heppner (nee Transki) was taken into the arms of the angels and our Lord after battling a long illness on Friday (December 17, 2021).

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lawrence Reed. She is survived by her husband, Nelson Heppner; her children, Kimberly, Kathleen, James (Janice), and Rebecca (Thomas); her brother, Ronald; nephew Raymond; her grandchildren, Matthew, William, Jade, Joshua, and Jake; and great grandchildren; Charlotte, Beatrice, and Jacob.

Carol was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.  She often said that her greatest joy was being a mom. She was also a fantastic baker; her sweet rolls and stuffed French toast were favorites during the holidays. She also loved to garden and continued to maintain seven gardens well into her 70’s while battling her illness.  She was an immaculate housekeeper, and enjoyed decorating for all the holidays, but especially Christmas, when the windows glowed with candles and her cherished Christmas snow babies nestled in the window sills.  One of her favorite pastimes was having bonfires with the family, with the highlight being a perfectly burnt hot dog!  She also enjoyed camping. The most memorable trip was the cross- country trip in 1972 with all the kids packed into a car with no A/C! Somehow, they survived, and have many poignant memories. This was only due to Carol’s great budgeting skills; she scrimped and saved to make this trip a reality. Her other interests included TV sitcoms, music, and purses.  She always got excited shopping for a new purse.

Carol was a devoted caregiver, caring for her mother, Irene, until her passing in 2018.  She always had a cheerful attitude, even while suffering from the muscular dystrophy. Her caregivers often remarked how sweet she was. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation to fund research for this horrible disease which took her life. The website is: https://mda.donordrive.com  A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 E. State Street, Olean. Online condolences can be expressed at www.guentherfh.com.