Heidi Jostes (nee Trantow), 42, of River Forest, died on Feb. 2, 2016. Born on Jan. 26, 1974, she attended Oak Park and River Forest High School, graduated in 1992 from Hope College, and worked as a social worker in Tacoma, Washington.
In 1997, she was diagnosed with Osteo Sarcoma, came home for treatment, and then returned to Washington. After a time, she earned a nursing certificate and enjoyed a position on the oncology floor at a Tacoma Hospital for two years. Then came a diagnosis of Lymphoma, a return to River Forest for chemo treatments, and later a stem cell transplant. She underwent an amputation of her right leg due to many complications and, while learning to walk with a prosthesis, she achieved a BSN online. This led to working as an oncology nurse in an outpatient clinic in the Chicago area for almost a year.
She suffered from severe fatigue and a blood test confirmed a diagnosis of TMA, kidney failure. In the last three years, she received treatment, but in August, in November, and two weeks ago, she suffered strokes. The resulting effect in the first two incidents was Aphasia, and, while being treated at Rush for the recent TIAs, she had a brain bleed which led to her death one week later.
She loved life and family, and inspired others with her faith, optimism, and her sweet empathetic spirit. She volunteered with amputee support groups and became an Imerman Angel. Members of this group uplift newly diagnosed cancer patients by pairing them with recovered cancer survivors with the same diagnosis. She was sympathetic to any she knew who suffered and tried to encourage the sick, the infirm, and the aged. She didn’t get to practice her nursing for very many years, but she left a legacy of witnessing and serving.
Heide Jostes is survived by her husband, Jerome Jostes; her parents, Pete and Martha Trantow; her siblings, Laura Novotny (John) and Tom Trantow (Thea); and her nieces and nephew, Isa and Maddi Novotny, Shaelin, Lily, and Brielle Trantow, and Charlie Novotny.
A memorial service was held on Feb. 6 at the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest. Donations to the Ada F. Addington Hospice Care Center at Rush University Health Center, 710 S. Paulina Street, Chicago, 60612, or to Imerman Angels, 205 W. Randolph, 19th floor, Chicago, 60606 are appreciated by the family.
Arrangements were handled by Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home.