Tom Heckenbach, 63, of Gallatin, passed away Feb. 23, 2015. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the First Christian Church in Gallatin. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Friends may call after 11 a.m. Friday at McWilliams Funeral Home in Gallatin. Burial will be at the Hillcrest Cemetery near Gallatin. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gallatin Senior Citizens Center in care of McWilliams Funeral Home 1329 W. Grand, Gallatin, MO.
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Tom was born Sept. 25, 1951, to Thomas and Lenora (Carver) Heckenbach in Kansas City, Mo., and was lovingly raised by his grandparents Pete and Helen Carver. They moved to Jameson when he was in the 3rd grade and he graduated from Jameson High School in 1969. Tom married the love of his life and his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Lighthill. After graduation Tom and Phyllis moved to Gallatin where Tom was employed at Thompson Implement as a mechanic. He worked at John Deere Implement companies at Bethany and Trenton, he attended numerous training classes for John Deere always striving and learning new techniques. He was a John Deere man through and through. In 1979 Tom and Phyllis owned and operated Gilman City Service and Repair where Tom continued to do truck and tractor repair for 10 years. He was skilled with his hands and could take on any challenge with ease. In 1989 Tom began working at the Missouri Department of Corrections in Cameron where he worked his way up the ladder as Plant Maintenance Engineer, retiring in 2010, after 20 years of dedicated service. He continued to work on small engines for his local customers.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish, play golf and most of all work with his baby Holstein calves. Tom and Phyllis enjoyed the time they spent traveling and camping. Last year was their first year of being snowbirds in Texas and so looked forward to spending winter where it was warm. Tom was a great storyteller and had a wonderful sense of humor. He looked forward to his routine of morning coffee with his friends at the Corner Café. Tom loved his family, especially his children and grandchildren. He was a family man in every essence of the word and was always there to support them. To know him was to love him; he will be greatly missed.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, mother-in-law Claudine Lighthill and father-in-law Melvin Lighthill.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Phyllis of the home, sons, David Heckenbach, Dalhart, Texas, Kevin Heckenbach and wife Amy of Smithville, daughter, Terrolyn Millsap of Gallatin, brothers, Mike Heckenbach and wife Callie of Jameson, Steve Heckenbach of Atlantic, Iowa, sisters, Karen Deering and husband Walt of Locust Grove, Va., Pam Horner and husband Jimmy of Forsythe, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Online condolences may be left at www.mcwilliamsfuneralhomes.com.