Alvina R. Heinrich, 93, Deadwood, passed away Thursday, January 21, 2010, at the Sturgis Regional Senior Care Center, Sturgis, SD, where she had been a resident for the past 3 years.

Alvina R Heinrich was born June 6, 1916, at Hosmer, SD, to Jacob and Lydia (Sackman) Fiechtner. Lydia passed away in the flu epidemic of 1918. Jacob remarried and the family settled in the Athboy, SD, area. Alvina attended schools in the Twin Buttes area. She was baptized into the Baptist faith in July 1933. On October 6, 1932, she married Fred Heinrich in McIntosh, SD, a marriage that lasted for 67 years until Fred passed away in 1999. She and Fred started out married life farming with his parents in the Isabel, SD, area. Shortly after the blizzard of 1949, the family moved to Deadwood, SD, where they lived until 1990. They lived in Sturgis until 1999 and then moved back to Deadwood. Alvina lived a short time at the Edgewood Assisted Living in Spearfish, coming finally to live at the Sturgis Regional Senior Care where she passed away.

Alvina was a member for 61 years of the First Baptist Church of the Northern Hills, Deadwood, and for many years, a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and the Independent Order of Foresters. Alvina had a tremendous work ethic. Nothing made her happier than hard work; anything from farm work, to running a creamery business, to restaurant cooking, laundry work, and finally working as a nurses aide at the Deadwood Hospital for 22 years before retiring in 1978, while at the same time raising a family of 6 daughters. With her family raised, she enjoyed traveling to visit family, cooking, baking, card games, crocheting, quilting, bingo, sewing and crafting for the entire family, especially the children.

Alvina is survived by her 6 daughters, Hilda Fredericksen, Sturgis, SD; Delores (Gene) Trump, St. Louis, MO; Leatha (Al) Satterlee, Deadwood, SD; Carol (Wayne) Burchett, Black Hawk, SD; Linda Osborn, Deadwood, SD; Ruth (Tom) Nowell, Box Elder, SD; 16 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great grandchildren and step grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews; 3 brothers, Beno Fiechtner, Westminster, CO; Ruben Fiechtner, Sacramento, CA; Richard Fiechtner, Carmichael, CA; and all special caregivers at Sturgis Regional Senior Care with special thanks to Mary, Donna, Reyna and Wendy and Meghan of Hospice of the Northern Hills.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred, in 1999; three infant children, Alvin, Helen, and Ronald; one granddaughter, Kelly; one grandson, Jeff; and one great-granddaughter, Jamie; her parents; step-mother, Louisa Fietchner; three sisters, Hertha Taggart, Caroline Faulkner, and Deana White; three brothers, Alvin, Robert, and Henry Fietchner; and two sons-in-law, Dwayne Fredericksen and Lee Osborn.

Viewing and visitation will be at Kinkade Funeral Chapel from 1 to 6 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2010. Services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 26, 2010, at the First Baptist Church of the Northern Hills, Deadwood, SD, with the Rev. Patrick McBride officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Hospice of the Northern Hills or First Baptist Church of the Northern Hills, Deadwood, SD.