Mindi Delores Billheimer, 55, of Burlington, died Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary's Campus in Rochester, MN, due to complication from a second heart transplant.
Mindi Delores Fenton Billheimer was born September 2, 1969, to Gary and Janice Hightower Fenton.
When Mindi was 4 years old the neighbor lady invited her to church, and she enjoyed going every week. Iona Strickland shared the gospel with her, and she decided to follow Jesus! Shortly after she started bugging mom and dad to come to the New Years Eve church party to see the movie A Time to Run. Mom and dad went to the party and that is the beginning of the Fenton Family following Jesus.
At 21 she found out she had a heart that was Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries (CCTGA) and her long journey to understanding what it all meant began.
Mindi was doing pretty high-tech things in March of 1995 by chatting with her future hubby online! A few short weeks later they met and started planning their wedding. July 8, 1995, she was united in marriage to Edward Billheimer in Wayland, Iowa. She moved to Beaumont, Texas to be with Ed.
In 2002 Mindi decided she missed her family and her, and Ed moved to Iowa. They wanted children and Rilee finally joined the party April 7, 2004. A couple of years later she had a surprise, and Delanee was born March 2, 2006.
The last 4 years has been an up and down battle as her congenital heart wasn’t working as well as it once did. 2021 she had a metal valve put in one of her heart valves, but we don’t think it was all that helpful. (Although, we aren’t doctors) The end of 2023 she had a 10 day stay in the hospital to put her on a blood thinner because of clots in the valve. January of 2024 her congenital doctor, Doctor Burchill, had a conversation with her about having a heart transplant. Her 1st transplant was February 26, 2024, and due to covid it was attacked. The 2nd transplant was April 22, 2025 with complications.
She worked in the medical field and retail throughout her life. Mindi loved spending time with her husband, children and their friends, talking to her sisters and mom on the phone for hours and helping people.
She is survived by her husband Ed, children Rilee and Delanee; Parents Gary and Janice Fenton; sisters Joy (Paul) Dantuma, Heidi (Dave) Anderson and Gwendolyn Camara; lots of nieces and nephews and a couple of great nieces.
Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, May 11, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, at Prugh Funeral Service (3940 Division Street, Burlington)
The funeral service for Mindi will be Sunday, May 11, 4:00 PM, at Prugh Funeral Service with Elder Jim Ruberg officiating.