Woman Dies In Cemetery Crash At Husband's Montco Grave: Reports

A woman was killed after suffering an asthma attack while driving to visit her husband's grave in Montgomery County, the Associated Press reports.

Nancy Heist, 68, of Berks County, was driving to the Highland Memorial Park Cemetery in Pottstown Saturday night when she suffered an asthma attack, the report states.

The attack caused her to crash her car head-on into a tree, and she was trapped inside of the car for hours, according to the AP.

She was rescued from the crash but later died at Reading Hospital of respiratory failure, NBC10 reports.

She had been married to her 76-year-old husband Walter for 42 years before his death on Feb. 10.

Her full obituary is included below, courtesy of Houck and Gofus Funeral Home:

Nancy J. (Reihl) Heist, 68, of New Berlinville, PA, passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at the Reading Hospital, Reading, PA. She was the wife of the late Walter O. Heist, with whom she shared 42 years of marriage. Nancy was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. She was a daughter of Betty Jo (Millard) Reihl and the late Robert Reihl. She was a graduate of Penn High School, Mishawaka, IN.

Nancy worked as an office lead for Kmart before retiring after 42 years. Since 2003, she worked for the Shop Rite in Norristown as a checkout clerk. Cooking and shopping with and for her grandchildren brought Nancy much joy. She was an avid reader.

Nancy was the clown of the family, bringing levity to every situation with her antics. Surviving in addition to her mother are one son, Chris O. Heist, and his wife Melanie, of New Berlinville, PA; four grandchildren, McKayla, Rebecca, Wyatt, and Savannah Heist; one brother, Fred Reihl of Mishawaka, IN, and two sisters, Sharon, wife of Herschel Hood of Elkhart, IN and Bobbie Biermann of Osceola, IN.

Also surviving are many nieces and nephews in Indiana who Nancy enjoyed visiting each year. A Life Celebration for Nancy will be held 2 P.M. on Thursday, February 23, 2017 in Highland Memorial Park Mausoleum, 701 Farmington Ave Pottstown, PA 19464 Rev. Barry L. Moyer will officiate.

Friends may call from 1-2 p.m. on Thursday in the mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family to help defray expenses.

Donations to Chris O. Heist may be mailed to P.O. Box 198, New Berlinville, PA 19545. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.houckgofusfuneralhome.com

Patch file photo