Heidi Susanne (Norsen) Rivers

 Heidi Susanne (Norsen) Rivers, 45 of Catlin, IL passed away at 11:48 PM on Thursday May 4th, 2023.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday May 9, 2023 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 E Douglas St in St Joseph IL.  The interment will be at Patterson Cemetery in St Joseph IL. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 1:00PM to 2:00 PM prior to the funeral at the church.

Heidi was born June 4th, 1977 in Toledo, OH, the daughter of Jack and Gretchen (Mittendorf) Norsen, and grew up in Rockford, IL.  She is survived by her mother Gretchen of St Joseph IL, brother Tim (Diane) Norsen of Colorado Springs CO, her former spouse Chris Rivers of Fairmount IL, and her two beloved children, Henry and Britta Rivers.  She was preceded in death by her father. 

Donations will be accepted to establish a fund for Henry and Britta’s future education and financial needs.

Heidi lived in Illinois for most of her life.  She went to elementary, middle, and high school in Rockford, where she met lifelong friends while attending Lutheran schools.  After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she lived in the Chicago suburbs before moving back downstate. She lived in Homer, Fairmount, and ultimately Catlin, where she had a strong network of friends and family.  Most people are lucky to have just a few close friends in their lives; Heidi had too many to count.

Heidi had a love of art from a very young age.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design in 2000, and worked for the University of Illinois in different capacities since 2006.  For over eight years, she was a senior designer in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, and was an integral part of literature, signage, and graphic creation for the department. Most recently, she was a senior graphic designer at the Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning. 

Heidi’s children were her life and passion. The two best days of her life were when Henry and Britta were born.  She loved being their mother and spending time with them and their friends.  She encouraged them to do a wide range of activities including playing sports, enjoying the outdoors, caring for animals, and building friendships.  She taught them to live life to the fullest, and she led by example, seeking adventures and beauty each day, and never taking small things for granted.

Heidi was a person to whom one was only a stranger once. She brought joy and laughter to everyone in her life. She will live on in heaven, and in our hearts.

Freese FH 5/7/2023