Charles Heckathorne

Charles William Heckathorne, 99, of Webster City passed away on Monday, October 17, 2016 at Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 22, 2016 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Williams with Pastor Jeff Tjelta officiating. A luncheon will be held prior to the service from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow the services at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2016 at Foster Funeral and Cremation Center in Webster City. Charles was born July 23, 1917 in Eagle, NE, son of Charles Levin and Emma Adella Trook Heckathorne. He served in the Army Medical Corps during World War II in Papua-New Guinea and the Philippines. He married Elnore Roenfeldt on January 6, 1948. Charles was confirmed in the Lutheran church on March 13, 1949. Charles farmed in Emerson and Ponca, NE, and Eagle Grove, Woolstock, Williams, and Kamrar, IA. Throughout his life he was an accomplished mechanic and welder. Charles loved music, reading, and traveling. He held various leadership roles in the Hamilton County National Farmers Organization, and he was a long-time dealer of Lester Pfister Seeds. In his retirement, he got his GED, earned his EMT certification, and served at Hamilton County Public Hospital, Webster City. He also did custom farming and trucking in Hamilton and surrounding counties. When he was in his mid-70s, he returned to farming, including a cow-calf operation, at the family farm in Emerson, NE. He farmed until he was well into his 80s. A highlight of his 90s was his Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit the WWII Memorial and other monuments. Charles is survived by his wife Elnore, his four children, Beth (Bruce) Drewelow of Evansdale, IA, Loren of Nevada, IA, Carroll of Webster City, and Virginia (Robert) Finney of Pataskala, OH; three grandchildren, Douglas Finney of Lawrence, KS, Monica Finney (Erwin Harte) of Pittsburg, KS, and Matthew Drewelow of Evansdale; and two great-grandchildren, Nathaniel Finney and Andrew Studyvin, of Pittsburg. He was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Belle Bobier, Sterle, Beulah, Merle, Floyd, Grace Kildebeck Clayton, Myrna, and Neva; his half-brothers and sister, Lenn Hunt, Wyman Hunt, and Leona Smith; step-sisters and brother Mathilda Mitchell, Elfrida Mitchell, Elmer Christenson, and Eleanor Heckathorne. Charles was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Williams, where he served on the church council and the building committee. He was a charter member of the VFW post in Pender, NE and a member of the American Legion post in Webster City. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul Lutheran Church or the Brushy Creek Honor Flight in honor of Charles. Write a personal tribute for the family at www.fosterfuneralandcremation.com.