Heatlie will help you deal with death
Western Extension resident Denise Heatlie fulfils her calling to help others, through GriefShare, after experiencing the loss of her father.
BCT: Tell us about GriefShare.
DH: My beloved father, Victor Lindebaum, died in 2004 and I was faced with the enormous impact that grieving for him had on my life.
It was then that I learned about the GriefShare Ministry from my cousin in Hermanus and decided to implement it at the Benoni Central Methodist Church in 2005.
I found it to be a gentle, informative and realistic journey through the trauma of grief.
It also prepared me for the death of my mother, Edna Hards, when she died in 2006, as well as the subsequent death of my sister, Wendy Heneke.
People fresh in grief are numb; they operate in a survival mode, have difficulty in facing their tomorrows and do not feel optimistic about the future.
People often say you have to let go and move on with your life, be strong, and time heals, but they do not tell you how.
In our experience of leading GriefShare over 12 years, the series offers guidance on how to journey through grief within a caring and safe environment, at no cost.
The passion for leading GriefShare, with my husband Michael Heatlie, is an essential part of my life.
When I witness people, broken by grief, journey through GriefShare and find hope and healing, I realise what a positive impact this ministry has on the lives of the folk who attend our series.
BCT: Tell us about your personal life.
DH: Early in 1964, I met Michael Heatlie, a “Benoni boy”; we fell in love and married on December 5.
Both of our sons, Kevin and Alan, and their respective wives, Tammy and Jeanne, are amazing people and together with their families are an intrinsic part of our lives.
Our five grandchildren are: Olivia (4), Daryn (7), Josh, Kelsey and Ashton.
BCT: Tell us about your professional life.
DH: In 1958 I gained a commercial matric at the Palladium Business College in Springs; I began my career by working in the commercial world as a secretary.
BCT: What are your hobbies?
DH: Gardening, flower arranging, cooking, photography and scrapbooking.
BCT: What do you say about life so far?
DH: As I look back over the 76 years of my life, I feel blessed that God gently led me from a childhood phobia about death to the privilege of serving him through LifeLine, Hospice and GriefShare.
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