Shirley Heckel, 90, of Seminary Manor, Galesburg, went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2023.
She was born in Abingdon, July 18, 1932, to Robert and Mary Dudgeon. While singing with a USO group at Galesburg Mayo General Hospital for rehabilitation for wounded soldiers, she met her future husband, Jim Heckel. He was being treated there for his substantial war injuries in order to be near his Wisconsin family. (Seminary Manor stands on part of that complex today.)
Shirley and Jim were married February 21, 1947. Jim preceded her in death in 2016, as did her sister Helen Ralston in 2017.
Shirley is a born-again Christian and was a member of Harmony Baptist Church, Galesburg. She taught Sunday School and sang in the choir and for special music for many years.
Shirley worked at Park Drive Dairy while her daughter Mary and son Jim were in college, in order to help fund their college educations.
She is survived by her daughter Mary Reinebach (Tom) of Burke, Virginia, grandson Adam Reinebach (Audrey) and great-grandchildren Isabel and Evan, of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, and Olivia of Brighton, Massachusetts, granddaughter Rachel Concepcion (Chris) and great-grandchildren Lucia and Adam of Burke, Virginia; her son Jim Heckel (Beth) of Loveland, Colorado, granddaughter Aimee Markwardt (Justin) and great-granddaughter Betty Anne of Berthoud, Colorado, and grandson Nathan Heckel (Lindsey) and great-grandsons Jax and Ty of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Her niece, Linda Ralston of Galesburg, her only remaining local relative, was a great help to Shirley, especially in the years since Jim passed.
Visitation will be noon to 1 p.m., Friday, July 14, 2023, at Harmony Baptist Church, 746 Hawkinson Ave., Galesburg, with the funeral service to follow at 1 p.m. Pastor Chris Nissley will officiate. Burial will be in Abingdon Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Harmony Baptist Church. Hinchliff-Pearson-West of Galesburg is honored to assist the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.
