Deborah Jeanne Hecker

Deborah Jeanne Hecker, nee Landstrom, 75 of Arlington Heights, IL, passed into Glory Tuesday, June 18th, 2024 at home in her sleep surrounded by family.She was born in Chicago in 1948 to Lawrence and Bernadette (nee Berry) Landstrom and was legally deaf/blind.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Roy Landstrom, and her husband William B Hecker. She is survived by her children W. Brad (Jennifer) Hecker, Susan (Scott) Eriksen, Steven (Jessica) Hecker and grandchildren Stephen, Ryan, Katie, Jackson, Tyler, and William.

Visitation will be held Friday at Glueckert Funeral Home 1520 N Arlington Heights Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60004 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Service at 12:00 followed by private interment.

Through training using assistive devices at the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, Debbie began working first, as a clerk-typist at Naval Station- Great Lakes and later moved to become a celebrated budget analyst with the General Services Administration in Downtown Chicago and appeared in promotional videos for the Chicago Lighthouse For the Blind. While at the Lighthouse she was introduced to Guiding Eyes For the Blind, an organization which coordinates the assignment and training of Guide Dogs with their new owner where she was paired with a terrific Black Lab named Aussie.

Growing up, Debbie was an early member of AWANA clubs, which helped her develop her relationship with Jesus Christ which she maintained until her passing. She was a lifelong reader with a love of Mysteries and an avid crocheter and crotched blankets for Project Linus, an organization which provides blankets for children and families in hospitals. Debbie was also a member of the American Blind Bowlers Association for several years in the 1980’s and even won a national championship in her division one year.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Deborah Hecker’s name to Guiding Eyes For the Blind at www.guidingeyes.org which allowed Aussie to assist Debbie in traveling from Buffalo Grove to the Kluczynski Federal Building at 230 S. Dearborn in Downtown Chicago every day .