Leonard A. Heeke, 94, Celestine
Leonard A. Heeke, 94, of Celestine, passed away at 5:35 p.m. on Sunday, August 22, 2021, at Brookside Village in Jasper.
Leonard was born in Gary, Indiana on April 16, 1927, to Raymond and Martina (Jenkins) Heeke.
He married Mary Catherine Kluesner on June 30, 1951, in St. Celestine Catholic Church. She preceded him in death on March 30, 2019.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the American Legion Post #147 and the VFW Post #673.
He retired as a clerk from ANR Pipeline in Celestine after many years of service.
Leonard was an active member of St Isidore Parish – St. Celestine Catholic Church, where he served and led many church committees.
He was a founding member of the Celestine Community Club, was the recipient of the first Distinguished Service Award by the then Celestine Jaycees. He served as a torchbearer for the State of Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay in 2016, served as a 4-H leader, and was active in many community activities.
Leonard enjoyed outdoor activities around the house, spending time on his computer, and spending time with friends and family, especially attending his grandchildren’s events. May we remember Mary and Leonard’s motto to living: “love is the key to happiness”
He is survived by three daughters, Debbie Weyer (Steve) of Ferdinand, Judy Schnarr (Glenn) of Celestine, and Carol Schroering (Mark) of Jasper; two sons, Ken Heeke (Joy) of Greencastle, and Tom Heeke (Bernadette) of Celestine; 14 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren with one on the way; stepbrothers and stepsisters.
Preceding him in death besides his wife were his parents.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Leonard A. Heeke will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, at St. Celestine Catholic Church in Celestine, Indiana, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The American Legion Post #147 will conduct military graveside rites.
A visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Monday, August 30, 2021, at the Becher-Kluesner Downtown Chapel in Jasper, Indiana.
At the wishes of the family, masks and social distancing will be required for the Mass and visitation.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Isidore Parish or the Celestine Community Club.
Condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.
