Eminent Homemaker
County: Roberts
Marcia Heinje of Wilmot is a driving force in the statewide South Dakota 4-H program and has been a volunteer leader in Roberts County for 21 years. Her group is a third generation club. Currently serving as the president of the Roberts County 4-H Leaders Association, Heinje has also been president and secretary of the State 4-H Leaders Association. During her presidency, she spearheaded a state fair recycling project. In 1989, she co-chaired a group of volunteer 4-H leaders who were instrumental in bringing and hosting the North Central Regional 4-H Leaders Forum in Sioux Falls. Part of her involvement included establishing a scholarship program to promote participation in the convention. For her dedication to 4-H, she was named a featured Clover Classic 4-H Volunteer of 1995. Heinje belonged to the Handy Homemakers Extension Club for 17 years and currently serves on the Roberts County Extension Board. Since 1980, she has served on the Wilmot School Board. During her term as president, a preschool was started, teacher in-service training was expanded and school modernization was introduced. She and her husband, Howard, are partners in a diversified farming operation and in 1993 were recognized as Master Pork Producers. Heinje was honored as "Farm and Ranch Woman of the Year" in 1990. She continues her commitment to community betterment by serving as a home health hospice nurse. She is a South Dakota State University nursing graduate. She and her husband, Howard, have three children, Rhonda and Bryce who are graduates of SDSU and Chuck who is in junior high at Wilmot.