Orvan Heckt

Orvan Lynn Heckt was born on June 4, 1934 to Milo and Velva (Matthieson) Heckt in Pipestone, Minnesota. He grew up in Jasper, Minnesota, and attended Jasper Elementary School. He attended high school in Flandreau, South Dakota and graduated. His family moved to Yankton, South Dakota, and then to Rapid City, South Dakota. Orv attended half a year of schooling at South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota, before enlisting in the United States Navy on January 25, 1955. He traveled to several counties while deployed and was honorably discharged on January 20, 1959. He worked as an engineer for a short time in Boston, Massachusetts and then moved back to the Rapid City area. He was married to Marlene Patricia Bogner and three children were born to this marriage which later was dissolved. He was married to Leah and one son was born to this marriage. Years later he met Patricia (Stratton) Beery and the two hit it off on a few first dates playing board games, one in particular they enjoyed was called Russian Bank. The two dated a couple years and then were united in marriage on July 25, 2004 at a Lutheran Church in Sun City, Arizona. Throughout Orv’s working years he worked as an engineer on many projects for people from Jasper to keep himself busy in his shop. The projects are also being used out in the world today! He had a smart mind for creating and found great joy in working at a project and giving his best. In April of 2009 the couple moved to Jasper, Minnesota where they continued to reside until this time. Early in 2020, Orv found out he had a growth in his neck and in November 2020 the doctors discovered that it was cancerous. That same month he had surgery to remove it but the doctors were unable to get 100% of it and Orv did not wish to undergo chemo and radiation treatment. On February 7, 2021 Orv entered the care of the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone where he died peacefully on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at the age of 86 years, eight months, and 29 days.

Orv liked to work on projects and keep himself busy. He liked to socialize and enjoyed shooting pool with buddies. He also enjoyed passing the hours in his wood working shop working on little tasks. He was a smart guy with a great brain for creating.

Orv is lovingly remembered by his wife, Patricia of Jasper; three children, Janet (John) Kueny of Sioux City, Iowa, Jackie (David) Steele of Sioux City, and David Heckt of Denver, Colorado; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and one sister-in-law, Kay Heckt of Auburn, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Jay; and a brother, Neil Heckt.