| Date of Birth | January 2, 1939 |
| Date Deceased | November 9, 2023 |
| Hometown | North Hornell |
| Home State | N.Y. |
| Service Date | December 28, 2023 |
| Service Time | 10 a.m. |
| Service Location | St. Ann's Church, Hornell |
| Interment Location | Rural Cemetery, Hornell |
Sarah S. (Stack) Heineman
NORTH HORNELL – Sarah S. (Stack) Heineman left this world on Thursday (Nov. 9, 2023) after an amazing life full of family, service, travel, and learning. She was born in Cambridge, MA in 1939 and grew up in nearby Medford, MA the only child of the late Louis and Madeline Stack. Besides her parents, she was also predeceased by a first cousin, Mary Craig.
An excellent student, Sarah graduated from Medford High School in 1956 and attended the Hotel School at Cornell University from 1956 until 1958. There she met her loving husband, Duane Heineman of Elma, NY, and they were married at St. Joseph’s Church in Medford, MA on Aug. 16, 1958.
After a brief but memorable stint in El Paso, TX during Duane’s service in the Army, they made Springbrook, NY their home until 1978. Their family grew steadily with sons Jeff (1959), Jim (1960), Bill (1965), and daughter Susan (1969). Sarah was a dedicated parishioner of Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Springbrook, NY including teaching CCD and volunteering at Tuesday Night Bingo.
Their lives were full of birthday parties, snowy Christmas’, and regular travel around the United States including the annual Cornell Homecoming Weekend. In 1978, the family moved to Hornell, NY and Sarah and Duane saw all four kids off to college, married off three and eventually welcomed eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren into the family.
Sarah plunged into volunteer work in the community serving on the Institute for Human Services Kinship Advisory Committee, as a leader in the United Way of the Southern Tier, as a volunteer with Academic All Stars and part-time administrative help in the Hornell Public Schools. She was also a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church.
She became an avid quilter and amateur photographer as she and Duane’s travel moved overseas after he retired. They enjoyed visiting many countries in Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Morocco. Sarah never lost her love of learning and was always plunging into new books and documentaries to understand the world better. A highlight of almost every summer was family get togethers in the Adirondack Mountains with dear Cornell friends Ruth and Fred Ehrlich and their family. Her family and friends will always remember her warmth, good humor, chocolate chip cookies, and her love for all of us.
She is lovingly survived by her husband of 65 years, Duane; four children, Jeff (companion Amy), Jim (companion Ivy), Bill (wife Linda) and daughter, Susan (husband Tom) Stanko; eight grandchildren, Christopher James (Cristina), Kelsey (Sam), Louis (Olivia), Tyler, Joanna, Kate, Madeline, and Emily; three great-grandchildren, Emeri, JR, and Cameron; as well as multiple cousins in the Boston, MA area where she grew up.
There will be no calling hours. Relatives and friends are invited to join her family at St. Ann’s Church, 31 Erie Ave., Hornell where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in her memory at 10 a.m. Thursday (DEC. 28, 2023). A celebration of Sarah’s life will follow at 11:30 a.m. at The Main Place, 251 Main St., Hornell. Interment will be Rural Cemetery, Hornell.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in her memory to the United Way of the Southern Tier, P.O. Box 284, Elmira, NY 14902. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the church.
The Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home, 285 Main St., Hornell is honored to assist Sarah’s family with the arrangements.
Online condolences or remembrances of Sarah are welcome below in the comment section or on the Facebook page of Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home.
My condolences to Duane and family on Sarah’s passing. Our paths haven’t crossed in many years, but I surely haven’t forgotten Sarah: her bright smiling eyes, her sense of humor, the engaging conversations we had, and her great intelligence. It was only just a few weeks ago that she came to my mind, as I drove through Hornell. It was my privilege to have served with Sarah on the United Way Board of Directors and Institute for Human Services Board. Your family and our community surely were blessed to have Sarah with us for so many years. I will keep you all in my prayers as you grieve this difficult loss.
Duane and family, we are very sorry to see that you have lost Sarah. May she rest in peace. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.