Laura came into the world Christmas Day 1862. Her father died in a small-pox epidemic in 1868. Two years later her mother married William Durham. She met George Heidt while he was working as a farm hand on her step-father's farm. She was married in her mother's living room, wearing a small pill-box hat with a small bird on it. The couple worked hard on their farm, and George became a prominent California farmer. Laura helped on the farm while raising a family that would eventually include twelve children. A tragedy struck the family when one of her twins Della died of rheumatic fever at age nine. In 1914 her son Fred, who was strong and healthy, and engaged to be married died suddenly of tuberculosis. A year later her husband George died of a heart attack. The nightmare would not end. She was left alone with no knowledge of finance, but with the help of her sons, she sold several properties, and kept a small house on Doyle Street in Santa Cruz. In 1917 her young grandson Lovell died. Also in 1917 her other twin. Ella, a young mother, died of tuberculosis at age 30. The disease would take three more of her daughters. Mabel died just before her thirteenth birthday in 1923, the next year daughter Mary died at age 20. Florence died in 1930 at age 25 of the disease. The 1920s also saw the death of Lester's daughter Florence who died before her second birthday in 1921. The 1930s brought the divorces of two of her sons. George divorced his wife Eunice for the younger Myrtle. In 1939 Lester's womanizing took its tole on not his wife Edna, but his daughter Marian, who hated her mother being mis-treated, and she moved her father out, and convinced her mother she was better off. Edna loved Lester, but was ultimatley better off. Also in 1938 she would lose another daughter-in-law, but not by divorce. Charles's wife Bessie died in 1938. A year later Charles, Laura's first born, followed his wife in death. Laura always kept her chin up even though she had outlived seven of her twelve children, and had all her possessions and mementos from her life and late children destroyed when her home caught fire in the early 1940s. The final blow to Laura came when her son George died at age 62, making it her eighth child to die in her lifetime. She died quietly at age 94. Laura was a character, she enjoyed living and had a great scene of humor. She had her own way of doing things. Her grandson Carrol tells the story that Laura never locked her front door, no matte what. Carrol asked his grandmother, "Grandma, why don't you lock your door?" She said, "If someone broke in they would break down the door, this was I don't have to pay for a new door if I am ever robbed." Laura was truly an inspiration. Anyone who could endure what she did, is truly remarkable.

A down-to-earth woman, she was invariably considerate of others, gentle and tolerant. In spite of hard work and crushing sorrows she endured without complaint, her serenity, sense of humor, and enormous dignity is a legacy left to live on in the memory of those who knew her.
Granddaughter-in-law Doris Martin Heidt (1917-1999).


Spouse's of Children
Bessie Heidt (1886-1938) wife of Charles.
Eunice Heidt Moore (1889-1983) First wife of George.
Myrtle Heidt Thiel (1903-1995) second wife and widow of George.
Effie Burrows Heidt(1894-1970) Wife of Elmer.
Edna Heidt Blakemore (1896-1989) First wife of Lester.
Harriett Heidt (1892-1982) Second wife and widow of Lester.
William Haskell (1894-1963) Husband of Elsie.

Grandchildren on Find A Grave
Earl Heidt (1912-1989).
Marian Heidt Seymour (1915-2001)
Norman Heidt(1916-1994)
Lovell Heidt (1917)
Florence Heidt (1919-1921)
Pauline Heidt Burke(1922-2003)
Byron "Barney" Heidt (1923-2001)
Carrol Heidt (1924-2008)
William Haskell (1930-1960)

Great-Grandchildren on Find A Grave
Sherwin Heidt (1941-2000)
Daniel Burke (1942-1978)
Linda Heidt Abrott (1950-1997)

Great-Great Grandchildren on Find A Grave
Matthew Heidt (1974-1976)
Jessica Heidt (1976-1981)