Rhoda Alice Heindselman, 89, of Bluffton, died peacefully at 1:23 a.m. Sunday, October 3, 2021, at Hospice Home, Fort Wayne, where she was admitted on Friday.

Born October 11, 1931, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, she was a daughter of the late Marion and Alice (Jacobs) Heindselman. Growing up in South Whitley, she graduated from South Whitley High School. Continuing her education at Fort Wayne Bible College, she realized that she had a gift for mathematics and attended Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne. Becoming a physicist, she worked on her master's degree at Ball State University.

She began her work career at International Harvester, Fort Wayne. She then embarked on a career in the defense department at the Naval shipyards in Charleston, S.C., where she was among the few women working on classified projects. Eventually, she joined the defense contractor Raytheon in Fort Wayne, where she was instrumental with missile guidance systems.

After her retirement, she started a small organic farming operation growing berries and vegetables. Caring for others, she would volunteer her time visiting residents at the area nursing homes and assisting residents at the area group homes.

She was a talented musician playing both the piano and organ and liked to sing. She had attended the Wesleyan Church in Bluffton.

Surviving are her nieces and nephews, John (Jan) Krinn, Tim Krinn and Deb Krinn, all of Fort Wayne, Becky (Jeff) Schmidt of New Haven, Terry (Dawn) Heindselman of South Whitley, and Ted (Madaya) Heindselman of Columbia City.

The funeral service is 3 p.m. Thursday at Smith & Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley. Burial is at the South Whitley Cemetery. Visitation is 1 p.m. until the service Thursday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials are to The Gideons International.

This service will be live-streamed on our Facebook page.