Karen Kay Heck

Karen Kay Heck, 79, passed into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ on October 31, 2025, at Lutheran Life Villages South Anthony, Fort Wayne, IN. She was born on July 28, 1946, in Fort Wayne, IN, the daughter of the late Clair and Geneva Motz.

Karen graduated from North Side High School in 1963 and earned her Bachelor’s in Education from Taylor University and her Master’s of Education from Azusa Pacific University. She married James Heck on June 15, 1968, at First Missionary Church, in Fort Wayne, IN.

Karen and her husband moved to Quito, Ecuador in 1971 and served as missionaries for 43 years. She taught elementary school for over 40 years at the Alliance Academy, Quito Ecuador and Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen, TX. She retired in 2012 and moved to Sun Lakes, AZ. During her time in AZ, she was involved with caring for her grandchildren and also being an active member of Flourish, which is a women’s ministry at The Grove Church, in Gilbert, Az. Karen and her husband moved to Fort Wayne, IN, the home of her ancestors, on May 1, 2025.

Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and was a survivor until 2021, when she was diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer.

Karen is survived by her loving, devoted, husband of 57 years, James Heck; son, Peter Heck of Tempe, AZ; daughter, Julie (Derek) Jacobsen, of Fort Wayne, IN; brother, LaMoine (Sandy) Motz of White Lake, MI; grandchildren, Juliana (Mason) Green of Fort Wayne, IN; Christine Heck of Warrenton, VA; Eliana Jacobsen of Fort Wayne, IN; and Andrew Heck of Tempe, AZ.

Funeral service will be 1:00 pm on Friday, November 7, 2025, at D.O. McComb & Sons Covington Knolls Funeral Home, 8325 Covington Road, Fort Wayne, IN, with visitation two hours prior. Committal and burial at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 6600 Covington Road, Fort Wayne, IN. Memorials may be made to Covenant Christian Academy, 4201 North Ware Road, McAllen, TX, 78504.