Florence Hazel Heck, 93, of Perry passed away Saturday, July 8, 2023, at Perry Lutheran Homes’ King’s Garden Campus.
A Mass of Christian burial has been set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 12 at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Burial will be at the Elmwood Cemetery near Minburn, Iowa. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. at the Murdock Funeral Home on Tuesday, July 11. Following the visitation, a Delta Kappa Gamma service will be held. A Rosary will be said on Saturday, July 15 at 4 p.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in memory of Florence.
Florence Hazel (Bruner) Heck was born Oct. 1, 1929, in Pine Lawn, Missouri (St. Louis County). Her parents were Elmer Franklin Bruner and Adele (Nuelle) Bruner.
Florence attended school first through 12th grade in Koshkonong, Missouri. After graduation, Florence attended college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.
She took a break from college and married Melford Gerald Heck on June 15, 1957. To this marriage, six children were born, Ervin, Elizabeth, Edward, Stephen, Janet and Tom.
Florence went back to college in 1969 in Springfield and finished her bachelor’s degree in education.
Throughout their marriage, they lived in Rochester, Minnesota, Pine Island, Minnesota, and then moved back to Grandpa Heck’s farm east of Berkley, Iowa. From there farming took them to Dexter, Iowa, from 1968 until 1972 and then to the home they shared for 50 years at 515 Warford St. in Perry, Iowa.
Throughout her teaching career, Florence taught for two years at Sacred Heart School in Thayer, Iowa. She then taught first grade for three years at Couch Consolidated in Couch, Missouri. From there she then spent four years at Army Post School building in Des Moines, Iowa.
Florence spent the last 22 years of her teaching career with Perry Community School District. She taught first grade in all three elementary buildings, and then she tauht kindergarten during her final eight years, retiring in June 1991.
Florence and her husband, Melford, enjoyed traveling to Missouri, Florida and California to see family. They also loved playing cards with friends and entertaining friends and co-workers for the holidays.
She always looked forward to the holidays, her favorite time of the year, when she would open “The Heck Candy Kitchen,” as it was called. Thanksgiving weekend saw chocolate-covered cherries being made, and for the next three weeks, Florence and her daughter Janet would spend countless hours making hundreds of pounds of candy.
Her daughter Elizabeth would come on weekends to assist in making candy and baking cookies. When complete, the trays filled with candy and cookies were made, labeled and delivered to family, co-workers and friends. After arthritis would not allow Florence to continue baking, Janet and her daughter Michelle took over this 50-plus-year family tradition.
Florence was very active in all the community groups she belonged to, including the St. Patrick Catholic Church Regina Guild, the Nu Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (40-year member) and the Dallas County Area Retired School Personnel Association (charter member 1992), of which she was the first president.
Florence received the Perry Mother of the Year award in 1979.
Florence is preceded in death by husband, Melford Heck; infant grandson, Adrian Heck; her parents; two sisters, Alice Cook and Dorothy Ball; an infant brother and infant sister; son-in-law and sister-in-law.
Florence is survived by six children, Ervin (Deanna) Heck of Madrid, Iowa, Elizabeth (Steve) Poock of Readlyn, Iowa, Edward Heck of Fort Worth, Texas, Stephen (Angie) Heck of Perry, Janet Hick of Perry and Tom (Dawn) Heck of Madrid; 18 grandchildren and step- grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; one brother, Virgil Bruner, and his friend, Marge, of Lewisburg, Missouri; numerous nieces and
nephews; many cousins; and many friends.
Memorials will be directed to the St. Patrick Regina Guild in Florence’s name. Online condolences may be left at murdockfuneralhome.net.
