Services for Emil William Heck, Jr., 96, Lawrence, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Heck died Saturday, May 27, 2017, at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor.
He was born July 9, 1920, on the family farm just north of Lawrence, the son of Emil W. and Wilhelmina Muiller Heck. He attended White Elementary School in North Lawrence and graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1938. He also attended Lawrence Business College.
Emil was a longtime farmer and stockman, widely known and respected, who started work on the family farm at an early age. Following high school, where he excelled as a member of the Future Farmers of America, he joined his father in a farming partnership. They raised, at various times on their Kaw Valley farmland, potatoes, corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghum, alfalfa, and brome. They also raised beef cattle on their pastureland in Jefferson County, site today of the Rim Rock Farm cross country course. Emil retired from farming in 1978.
Mr. Heck was baptized in St. Paul German Lutheran Church in 1921. Shortly thereafter, the family transferred to First English Lutheran Church, later to become Trinity Lutheran. Emil remained a member of Trinity Lutheran the rest of his life, serving the church in a variety of capacities including vice president of the Church Council, Head Greeter, Youth Ministry sponsor, and assisting in preparation of communion services. At the time of his death, he was believed to be the oldest active member of the congregation.
Mr. Heck was also an active participant in the civic activities of his community. He was a member of the school board for Burnett Elementary School and instrumental in organizing the consolidation of several rural schools in Grant Township to form Grant School District No. 100. He was elected and served a four-year term on the Lawrence Unified School District No. 497 Board of Education. He served multiple terms on the Board of Directors of the Douglas County Kaw Drainage District, was past president of the Sertoma Club, served on the board of the Douglas County Historical Society and was a member of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, to name but a few of his contributions.
Emil married Elizabeth (Bette) Rosanna Quigley on October 21, 1950, in Gower, Missouri. She survives of the home. Other survivors include daughters Linda (Darrell) Bennett of Leawood, Susan (Robert) Holcomb of Lenexa, sons Michael (Elizabeth) Heck of Lawrence, Mark Heck of Leawood, 10 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Possessed of a quick wit, Emil will be remembered by family and friends for his keen sense of humor. He was kind, honest, generous, patient, dependable, slow to anger and quick to forgive. He taught by example that any task worth doing was worth doing well.
The family will receive visitors at the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The family suggests memorials to Trinity Lutheran Church, sent in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent at www.rumsey-yost.com.
