By Cyndy Cole
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Wednesday June 26, 2002
Family, friends and coworkers said goodbye Monday to Joyce Heffelfinger, an administrative assistant at Arizona Student Media known for lending an ear and giving guidance to Arizona Daily Wildcat staffers.
Heffelfinger died Thursday after a long fight with cancer.
She was 60.
Heffelfinger worked with hundreds of Arizona Student Media staffers over the years, signing up each new recruit for the Wildcat, KAMP Student Radio and TV 3.
Despite her illness and ongoing chemotherapy, Heffelfinger continued working at student media until March. She received the first certificate of appreciation ever awarded ãfor care and devotionä to students at an April awards banquet.
ãJoyce wasnât a member of the faculty, but I think for many of us she was a regents professor when it came to modeling a caring, happy and productive life,ä said Mark Woodhams, director of Arizona Student Media.
ãJoyce was a powerful antidote to the problems of deadlines and homework that students have.ä
Among the stories told at the memorial service, one in particular spoke to who Heffelfinger was, and what she meant to those she worked with during her 4 and a half years at UA.
Former Wildcat editor in chief David Cieslak, like many newsroom staffers, turned to Heffelfinger for advice on different occasions.
He remembered one story in particular about an upcoming skydiving trip.
Cieslak asked Heffelfinger to hold a letter to his parents informing them of his death that she was supposed to mail if he didnât survive the jump.
Heffelfingerâs eyes got big. She started to talk about the dangers that could be involved.
Cieslak got nervous.
Heffelfinger noticed his nervousness and stopped talking.
She put her hands on Cieslakâs shoulders to calm him and told him in a reassuring voice that sheâd hand him back his letter when he returned from the jump unharmed, putting aside her concerns to give a student an extra push.
Cieslak went skydiving and the jump went smoothly.
When he returned to retrieve his letter, Heffelfinger exclaimed, ãThank God youâre alive.
ãIâve been praying for you all weekend.ä
Heffelfinger is survived by her husband, her three daughters and, as one of her daughters said, her extended UA family.
