According to desmoinesregister.com, Ryan Heithoff, 27, entered the army in 2002 and was a private first class in the 3rd Infantry Division. He served as a scout in Iraq during the first wave of the war and was awarded the Purple Heart after being injured in battle.

Rita Heithoff-Holt, Ryan’s mother, said, “He called me one night and said ‘Mom I’m going to the Army.’ I tried to talk him out of this decision, but after 9-11 he felt strongly about defending our country.”

Ryan had many accomplishments in life and wanted to attend the University of Iowa for a nursing degree to become a firefighter.

“In the Army he was an infantry man and was awarded a metal for marksmanship,” Heithoff –Holt said.  “Then, one day, I got a call from him and he said, ‘If you want to see me, it would be a good idea to get down here.’ He was at Fort Stewart, Ga.  I knew that meant he had been called up to head to Iraq, so I went the next day.”

Along with school, Ryan had goals and hopes for his future after the war.
“His goal was to be an Army Ranger after getting back from Iraq,” Heithoff-Holt said.

“While in Iraq, he was a scout.  Helicopters dropped scouts out into war zones. They made it safe for the rest of his company to invade.”

Ryan is survived by his sons, Isaac and Isaiah Heithoff; parents, Rita Heithoff-Holt and Mark Heithoff; and his brother and sister, Josh, 18, and Abbey Heithoff, 15.

“His sons Isaac, 5, and Isaiah, 3, both look like Ryan and are developing Ryan’s sense of humor,” Heithoff-Holt said.  “As a father, he loved his boys more than life itself, and he made sure their needs came first. He made sure they went to church every week, which will be a good basis to get us through this tragic time.”

Ryan’s family said he had a dynamic and funny personality, and he will be missed forever.

“We would like people to remember Ryan by his quick wit and a friend to all his vet buddies,” Heithoff-Holt said. “Ryan literally took his shirt and shoes off and gave them to a vet at the VA hospital.  I was with him for a doctor’s appointment and I turned around and I saw him taking his shoes off. When he caught up with me I asked him what he had done.  He said ‘The dude needed them worse than I did.’”

The visitation was from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at Iles Funeral Home Grandview Park Chapel. Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 4.

Heithoff-Holt said, “Memories bring tears to my eyes but warmth to my heart.  I miss him so.”

As a communication student at Grand View University, Ryan had an impact on many students in the classroom.

Matt Gayman, mass communication and public relations junior, said, “He was a great partner to have in public relations class, and he had a great personality. He was always willing to help me out if I had any trouble with the project we were working on.”

Ryan’s professors said although Ryan conquered many struggles in his life, he was always a hard-working student.

Kaylene Ruby, communication professor, said, “Ryan was struggling a bit as he came to college, but he really wanted to learn and he asked a lot of questions. He had troubles due to a lot of absences in the fall because of two car accidents and he had to catch up, but he was really trying and did the best he could under the circumstances.”

After being injured in a car accident, Ryan connected with Ruby by staying positive.

“Ryan and I had broken shoulders at the same time, and his was much worse then mine, but he did show me how to put a shirt on over my head. I had only known that I could button up, but he showed me how to put a shirt on by doing his,” Ruby said.

Conversing about his injuries and hard times with his professors helped Ryan cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and helped him connect with them on a different level.

“We laughed and talked about our injuries and he came to my office and talked to me about his problems. He wanted me to understand why sometimes he couldn’t sit still in class,”

Ruby said. “Ryan wanted me to understand his situation and I can totally understand, considering he’s been in war, a soldier, and now he’s sitting in a classroom listening to Mrs. Ruby.”

Ryan’s communication professors said they enjoyed his presence in the classroom.

“I really liked Ryan. I think he had a good heart and he seemed to be pleasant to all of the other students. You have to admire what he’s gone through and then to come sit in a classroom,” Ruby said. “He was always quiet in class, but when you would talk to him outside of class he kind of had a twinkle about him. It was a twinkle that would kind of make you laugh and smile.”

Other professors also found Ryan’s in-class work and participation very pleasing.

Becky McDonnell, communication professor, said, “Ryan was a very well- versed student in class, especially about advertising and current events. He was enthusiastic, but I would’ve really liked to know him better before he was in the service.”

Ryan had an impact on a variety of students, professors and people on and off campus who will remember him forever and thank him for his accomplishments as a soldier, father and friend.

McDonnell said, “I think it’s amazing that we come in contact with so many people, and everyone really does have an impact on us. I know that students in my class wished they could’ve gotten to know him more, and I know people will remember him and think of him fondly.”

 
8 a.m. “I arrive in the office, do paperwork or prepare for a class.”

 
9 a.m. “I prepare for class, read and write letters of recommendation.”

 
10 a.m. “I meet with three students.”

11 a.m. “I have class at 11:30.”

1 p.m. “I eat lunch, watch the Cubs, and grade papers.”

3 p.m. “I take the garbage bin to the street.”

4 p.m. “I head back to the office and meet with research students.”

6 p.m. “I have class and meet with senior research students.”

8 p.m. “I go home and watch Touch and the making of Darkness on the edge of Town. I also play my guitar and eat cheerios”
11:30 p.m. “I crawl into bed and listen to a book on CD.”

10 p.m. “I am ready for bed and watch the Channel 8 news.”

11 p.m. “Sleeping.”

 
Why did you want to teach pyschology?

 
“I was a curious kid. I wondered why people said certain things. I also began an interest in psychology because of a book called “Pleasures of Sociology” and “Cooling Out the Markers.”

 
Are there any famous psychologists you would like to meet?
“I would like to meet Dan McAdams because he studies life stories.”

What is your favorite class to teach?
“My favorite class to teach is Psychology of Love and Hate.  I think it’s fundamental.”

What is something people don’t know about you?
“Something people don’t know about me is that I was labeled mentally retarded in elementary school.”

What would be your dream job?
“My dream job is being a kick returner in the NFL.”

Melanie Ellis, marketing sophomore, said, “The experience of competing at my first nationals was amazing.  Being on a team with so much dedication is the best feeling in the world, and it makes a passion to dance so much easier to do.”

The dance team consists of eight freshmen, one sophomore, two juniors, four seniors, head coach Stacie Horton and assistant coach Kati Bainter.

Lizzie Tillinghast, biology senior, said, “Nationals was one of the most amazing, exhilarating and emotional my life. I feel truly blessed to be a part of such a talented and hard working team, and I will miss all of the girls very much.”

The dance team competed against three other schools in its National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Large Dance division.  The other teams consisted of Oklahoma City University and Grand View’s long time rival, St. Ambrose University.
Dressed in a high bun, white and black striped costumes and black tights, the team took the stage with energy and poise.  The team received an award for innovative choreography and a score of 9.094.  The women began the day in first place but ended up with second place, beating third with an amazing .284 and only missing out on first by .006 points.
Becky White, graphic design senior, said, “This weekend was surreal. The euphoria of being in first place and then the absolute agony of falling to second by hundredths of a point was so intense; I’ve never been that emotionally exhausted that quickly. On top of it all, this experience can barely be described in words; you really just have to be there to feel the magnitude of everything. In the end though, I am deeply blessed and proud to be a part of this amazing team that has come further than the program ever has before.”

The dance team spun, kicked and leaped its way, not only into Grand View’s heart, but the judge’s heart as well.  The team has already held auditions for the next season. With a new season comes a new team and new opportunities.

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Justin Smith, Rachel MacPebbles and Sadie Fisher, attended the conference at the suggestion of professor Matthew Plowman, based on the quality of their various research papers.

 
Smith presented his paper about the chain of events from the creation of Sinn Fein, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) leading up to the Easter Rising, the Irish war for independence.
History professionals from all over the world listened to the papers and offered suggestions on how to improve or different ways to look at the topic.

 
Smith said, “It was informative and a good way to network with history professionals.”

 
According to Smith, one of the main benefits of presenting at the conference was having his work critiqued by professionals who gave him ideas on how to make the paper more in-depth, increasing his chances for publication, should he choose to.

 
He said the conference helped him get a better idea of how to go through the process of writing and researching a topic, as well as presenting it more completely.

 
MacPebbles’s paper was about Ben Franklin and his proposal to change how the colonial government worked with British royalty and how, had the founding fathers gone along with Franklin, the United States may still be under English rule.

 
MacPebbles said, “All the topics were very diverse. You could get a feel for what other historians are doing.”

 
Fisher’s paper is about how the 1937 Constitution in Ireland hinders women’s freedoms, specifically in divorce and abortion and how they have attempted to overcome it.

 
Fisher said, “I thought presenting at the conference was a great experience. I learned things I would have never thought to even look into.”

 
I could sit here and tell you I’m tearing up because I’m so sad to leave, but that would be a lie. Putting this newspaper together each week has been fun, frustrating and exciting, but I’m ready to say goodbye and eager to take what I’ve learned and apply it to my future. However, before I say sayonara, I’d like to leave you with my “State of The Grand Views Address:”

 
For our first newspaper of the year, we as a team had to decide whether or not to publish a photo of Beau Andrews, a three-year-old boy, after he fell out a window in Nielsen Hall during move-in day. After considering all advice, and going against the majority, we made the final call to print the photo.

 
A high moment for me, and the newspaper staff, was when I got a call from the father of the boy a couple weeks later. He wanted to thank The Grand Views for providing a photo because he didn’t witness the accident.He said it was nice to put an image of the event in his head.

 
Publishing this photo was one of the hardest decisions we made all year. From that week on, all other choices were cake. We won awards, increased our web presence and strengthened friendships. As with any newspaper, we spelled some names wrong and pissed a few people off in the meantime. (We may look superhuman on the outside, but don’t let that fool you. We make mistakes).

 
What emerged from these triumphs and tragedies is one heck of a newspaper. With an experienced staff and the addition of talented fresh eyes, we were able to amp The Grand Views up for the 2011-12 school year, and I can only hope you, the reader, agree. Each editor of the newspaper spent countless hours in the office asking themselves what they can do to make the newspaper better.

 
As another year is polished off, we welcome next year’s staff, encouraging them to make the new year even better. I can guarantee the newspaper won’t be the same. With new editors come new eyes, a new “look” and a fresh set of story ideas.

 
Stephanie, our new editor-in-chief, is the underdog, but with her unconditional dedication and zeal, I’m confident she and her team will continue to build The Grand Views by providing another year of news, good or bad, win or loose.

 
The Tap, as it is called by its loyal followers, has a relatively small selection of bottled beer, beer on tap and a small liquor variety as well; however, they always offer $2 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. They also have $3 well drinks and $5 Red Bull drinks.

 
The Tap also carries four varieties of Peace Tree, an Iowa beer that is gaining popularity and recognition throughout the country, for $4 and $5 a drink.

 
I went to Locust Tap on a Sunday afternoon and found it to be much busier than I was expecting. The Tap attracts many groups of bicyclists, especially on nice weekends. I met eight bikers who had ridden to Cumming and back that day. They said The Tap is somewhere they always stop when they go out.

 
The Locust Tap is one of the oldest bars in Des Moines, and after stepping inside you can definitely tell. The ceiling features the original tin tiles. The walls contain their original plaster and showcase graffiti customers have added throughout the years. Most of the graffiti are messages and signatures from patrons, but there are also many interesting sketches and drawings.

 
According to a review of The Tap in Juice Magazine, some of the graffiti dates back as far as 1941.

 
Years ago, The Tap attracted a much older crowd, but recently it has become a trendy, young bar. On the Sunday I went, the bartender was in his twenties and many of his friends were too.

 
The biggest downside of The Tap is the bathroom. I worried for my safety even standing in it because every time I moved I could feel the floor shifting and creaking. I tested the safety of the toilet with my foot and found it to tilt and wobble. I, therefore, opted to hold my bladder and walk across the street.

 
I also found the bar to be very sticky, something to be expected when visiting a dive bar, and went to wash my hands, but there was no soap. The bartender appeared to be deep in conversation with another customer so, again, I walked across the street to use a different bathroom.

 
Overall, I am a very big fan of The Tap. I was thrilled to get a $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon, my favorite beer, and I loved the atmosphere. Everyone in the bar was incredibly friendly, and I got the impression they saw each other there frequently. I would like to come back sometime with a permanent marker so I can leave my mark amongst the 70 years of graffiti art on the walls.

 
Alicia Dean, a junior distance runner, said, “I think the season has gone exceptionally well so far. The team as a whole has broken school records, set new personal records and continued to work at getting better every day.”

 
Senior runner Obsie Birru led the Vikings as she took home gold in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:18.65 and in the 1500 meter run, clocking in at 4:40.43. She eclipsed the NAIA “B” standard, placing her above the rest of her competitors in the MCC this season. Birru was also a member of the 4×400 meter relay team, along with fellow senior running mates Kara Keller, Maggie Pestotnik, and Betsy Craig, crossing the finish line in a season best 4:05.94.
More success would follow suit as the meet progressed. Senior Sadie Fisher rounded out the squad’s running victories winning the steeplechase, posting an 11:44.71.

 
The throwing crew also pulled their weight as a few participants hit national qualifying marks. Junior Devon Jensen placed second in both the javelin and discus with throws of 42.01 and 40.05 meters, respectively. Jensen’s javelin distance has her sitting at fifth in the nation while hitting the automatic standard. Sophomore Val Veiock snagged the top spot, heaving the disc 42.47 meters and reaching the “B” standard.

 
Other notable accomplishments of the day included Craig’s silver medal in the high jump, leaping her way into the school record books as she tied for Grand View’s best jump of 1.55 meters. Senior Megan Higgins also found her way into the Grand View records, throwing the shot put 13.48 meters, enough to hit the automatic mark and place third in the event.

 
These runners are motivated to sweep the conference, and they definitely have momentum on their side, coming off back-to-back indoor championships and looking to make it two straight championships for outdoor as well.

 
Some of these women will take to the road Friday, April 20, where they will compete down in Lawrence, Kan. in the Kansas Relays, while others will travel east to Clinton, Iowa for the MCC multi-events.