Rebecca Hein

December 12, 1942 — May 01, 2026

Rebecca Hein

Service Details

Rebecca Ogden Hein (Becky), died May 1, 2026 at home with her children by her side, after losing her battle with cancer. Born December 12, 1942 in Des Moines, Iowa, to Donald Van Law and Ethel (Clemons) Vondran, and raised by her grandparents Vesta and Birdie Higgins.

After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School in Des Moines, she married her high school sweetheart, Bob Ogden, and they had three children; Mike, Lisa, and Mark. Later in life, Becky married a high school classmate, Jerald Hein, and they had 20 years together until he passed away in 2021.

Throughout her life, Becky remained close friends with kids she went to grade school and high school with. The girls that were her friends as a child and teenager have continued keeping up with one another and having slumber parties well into their 70’s. They call themselves “Pisters”, and they have had a life-long love for one another that is truly awesome. She was also in a couple of other groups of friends from high school that got together monthly; Birthday Club, and the Panera Lunch Group.

In high school, Becky was awarded a Gold Key in the Iowa Regional Scholastic Art Awards for her drawing “Boy In Line”. Becky was a Project Engineer in construction and development most of her life, retiring from Newbury Development in 2011. Becky earned the 2007 Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Award. She managed construction projects for many housing developments, retirement communities, and hospitals in Iowa. She was very proud of her work, deservedly so.

Along the way, she was also a Cub Scout Leader and a PTA President. She was a wife, a friend, sister, daughter, cousin, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother. But mostly, she was a mom. Not only to her three kids, but also to all the friends of her children. There are so many that call her “mom”, and they too are feeling this loss deeply.

Becky is survived by children, Lisa Ogden Johnson, and Mark Ogden; brothers, Mike (Kathleen) Vondran, and Ron Van Law; 7 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; many cousins, nieces, nephews, quite a few “adopted” kids throughout the years (y’all know who you are); and fur babies, Daisy and Sophie.

Becky was preceded in death by husband, Jerald Hein; son, Mike Ogden; father, Donald (Millie) Van Law; mother, Ethel (Vern) Vondran; sister, Debbie; grandparents, Vesta and Birdie Higgins; brother, Jerry (Donna) Higgins; daughter-in-law, Angela Ogden; grandson, Bobby Magnani; and beloved dogs, Hershey and Halle.

The family will be greeting friends from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home; 5400 SW 9th Street, Des Moines. A memorial service will be held following the visitation at 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home.