Chris Heckeroth MSgt USAF (Ret)

Chris  Heckeroth, MSgt USAF (Ret)

December 25, 1947 – August 18, 2022

Age 74

If Chris Heckeroth had been born any day other than December 25th, 1947, his name would have been George. He was born in Albany, NY to (and preceded in death by) Carl and Betty Lee Heckeroth. He has two brothers, John (Holly) and David (Rosemary). In 1968, during his 3rd year at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) Chris decided it would be a good idea to marry Katherine R Yancey, and would continue to think so for his remaining 53 years.

Chris and Kathy have 3 wonderful children: Kara (Mike Bechtel), Kurt (Amy Blum), and Erin (Bill Brown) and 8 amazing grandchildren: L’J, Katie, Aly, Webb, Lexi, Chris, Abbie, and Annie. Chris believed in raising his children with the same firm, no-nonsense hand he experienced for 20 years in the United States Air Force, from which he retired in 1991 as a Master Sergeant. Because of this, or despite it, his children grew into humans of whom Chris was incredibly proud.

Chris taught his children and others around him how to organize a camping trip, change a tire, recognize a good bargain, be comfortable enough to fart or sing badly yet loudly in your own home, appreciate a good meatloaf and peanut butter on almost everything and make spaetzle, pancakes and a mean black Russian.

The family of Chris Heckeroth is certain that he’s now sitting in a cushy recliner surrounded by cats and dogs, smoking his pipe, and using the world’s biggest remote control to watch the Crimson Tide roll over everything in its path while not quite believing he talked St. Peter into letting him in.

Above anything else, Chris liked to be amused and was a fine purveyor of the worst dad jokes ever heard and some that should have never been told. Chris enjoyed telling any joke he could think of regardless of whether it was appropriate for the situation and company or not. Hey Dad! Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?

Memorials Kidney Foundation  www.kidneyfund.org/give

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