April 8, 1988 – July 5, 2023

Heather Zinns, 35, died peacefully Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at her home in rural Canton, South Dakota, after a courageous battle against brain cancer. Funeral services were at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 10, 2023, at Good News Church, Sioux Falls, S.D.  

Heather Dragstra was born April 8, 1988, in Luverne, Minnesota, to Warren and Avis (Olson) Dragstra. She was baptized at Chandler Christian Reformed Church. Heather attended elementary school in Chandler before graduating in 2006 from Southwest Minnesota Christian High School in Edgerton. As a young girl, she shared the love of all things horses with her mom. Together they enjoyed horseback riding, camping, and participating in new adventures. Heather participated in the 4-H program at the county and state levels with her mom’s horse, Misty, and her own horse, Simon.

In early 2011, Heather began experiencing painful headaches and suffered her first seizure. After brain surgery and radiation treatment, Heather resumed her college studies while finishing her chemotherapy treatment, graduating with a degree in business in 2012.

Supporting her since her original diagnosis and through the loss of her mother, Avis, on Dec. 24, 2011, was Israel Zinns. The two married September 21, 2013, at the Chandler Christian Reformed Church. Together they had two children, Ava, in 2017, and Aidyn, in 2020. Heather loved her family deeply and often told her children she loves them “to the moon and back.”

Heather was a selfless, strong, and independent woman, who enjoyed the outdoors and dreamt of living on her own acreage with her horses, Simon and Stormy. She didn’t let her cancer slow her down. She often showed kindness by helping others, giving an infectious smile, or sharing her firm foundation in her faith. Heather will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.

In 2021, after several years of remission, Heather had another seizure, which led to the discovery that her cancer had returned. During the past two years, Heather fought back the cancer, enduring more treatments, surgery, and regaining her speech and mobility skills. On Father’s Day, June 18, 2023, Heather suffered another seizure. Doctors reviewed her scans, and the aggressive growth of the tumor they found led her to choose to enter home hospice on June 23.

Heather is survived by her husband of nearly 10 years, Israel, of Canton; daughter, Ava (6); son, Aidyn (3); her father, Warren Dragstra of Chandler, Minn.; brother, Joshua Dragstra of Hartford, S.D,; sister, Susan (Kent) Sime of Milbank, S.D.; niece, Cailey Sime; nephew, Brock Sime; grandmother, Betty Olson of Luverne, Minn.; along with aunts, uncles, cousins, numerous extended family members and friends. 

Heather is preceded in death by her mother, Avis; and grandparents, Alvin Olson, and Joe and Jennie Dragstra.

In lieu of flowers, a fund has been established for Heather’s children at Security Savings Bank in Canton, SD.