Diane Marie Kreutz-Heckstetter, 75, of Arnold died May 20, 2023, at Evelyn’s Hospice House in St. Louis County. Mrs. Kreutz-Heckstetter grew up in Affton and graduated in 1965 from St. Elizabeth Academy before working as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines. While raising her family in Oakville, she worked periodically in real estate and was busy with her children’s many activities. She enjoyed travel, sewing and crocheting afghans and was famous for sharing her chocolate cherry cake at celebrations. She was a member of a crochet group that makes blankets for babies in the NICU and was a member of the Pearls & Pinups group and the Red Hat Society. Born Aug. 9, 1947, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of the late Leonard and Frances (Kraus) Kreutz.
She is survived by her former husband: Eugene “Gene” Heckstetter Jr.; their three children: Jay (Tricia) Heckstetter, Carrie (Michael “Mike”) Lynch and Rebecca “Becky” (Matthew “Matt”) Underwood; six grandchildren: Dylan, Gavin, Logan, Reese, Lucy and Tatum; a brother: Gary (Carolyn) Kreutz; a sister: Elizabeth “Betty” Kauling; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a brother-in-law: Jay Kauling; a brother: Ray Kreutz and a sister-in-law: Sandra Rickenberg-Kreutz.
Visitation is scheduled from 9 a.m. until a memorial service at 10 a.m. Friday, June 23, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 3517 Jeffco Blvd, in Arnold. Private burial will be in the Resurrection Cemetery in Affton.