Mary Louise Heckendorn

Mary Louise Shafer was the youngest child of Bert C. and Nellie Mae (Richards) Shafer, born on their farm south of Tasco, Kansas on May 26, 1925. She attended a one room country grade school during the dust bowl era. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at the age of 10 and was baptized by immersion in the south fork of the Soloman River hear the Tasco Presbyterian Church. Her mother died when Mary was 15 and upon graduation from Hoxie High School in 1943, she came by train to Denver, to seek employment. Mary worked in the office of the Engineering Department of The Denver and Rio Grande Railroads, and on July 26, 1947, she met the love of her life, James Page Heckendorn. They were married December 20, 1947 at North Presbyterian Church in Denver. Jim had served his country in the U.S Navy in the South Pacific and his ship was in Tokyo Bay at the signing of the surrender by the Japanese in September 1945. They were blessed with 3 sons, Jim, Jerry, and Larry and 2 daughters, Linda and Cheryl, though Cheryl died at birth. Her husband Jim died of cancer at the age of 57 in 1983.

Mary was a devoted wife and mother and loved caring for her home and family, returning to secretarial work part time at Manning Junior High when her youngest was in school. She was Administrative Assistant for Crown Realtors and The Genesee Real Estate Company, and later worked part time for them, retiring when she was 73. She loved music and sang with many choirs, including church choirs, and traveled to Europe in 1985 with the Denver Chamber Chorale, in 1990 with the Arvada Chorale, and in 1997, with The New Chords. She sang with The Galaxies Women's Chorus for 17 years and with The Troubadours for 12. She enjoyed dancing at the Senior Centers after her retirement and was sometimes invited to solo with the dance bands, the songs popular in the 40s.

Mary was active in her church, teaching Sunday School and Bible School. She was also a Den Mother in Cub Scouts, enjoyed sewing and needlework, gardening (especially her roses), reading, and her pictures of family and friends. She loved playing the piano (her version) because she did not get to have piano lessons due to the Great Depression.

She loved all of her children dearly, and was delighted to become a grandmother to Wendy, Cindy, Pamela, Sheila, and Richard - then an added bonus, great grandchildren: Alexandra, Miranda, Alyssa, Mikayla, Austin, Katelyn, Tiana, and Aten. What joy!

Survivors include her children, Jim (Elizabeth) Heckendorn, Jerry, Linda (Don) Loeffler, Larry (Karen) Heckendorn; grandchildren Wendy and Matt Stephenson, Cindy Tolentino, Pamela Wilder, Dan Green, Sheila Heckendorn, and Richard Heckendorn, great grandchildren as named above; brother-in-law, Joe Heckendorn, sister in law Marian Brackett of Denver, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Preceding Mary in death are her parents, Bert and Nellie Shafer, husband Jim, infant daughter Cheryl Lynn, brothers Morris, Charlie and Howard Shafer, sisters Mable Denison, infant Edith Shafer, Hazel Walden, Ruther Anderson, and Maxine McClelland, daughter in law Suzzanne Heckendorn, nephew Dale Anderson, brother-in-law Jack Heckendorn, sisters-in-law Carol and Junesse Heckendorn.

Memorial gifts can be made to National Multiple Sclerosis Society or Multiple Myeloma at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Due to current restrictions, private family services will be the first week of January. Mary will be laid to rest next to her husband, Jim, at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery, Garden Mausoleum.

Mary's Celebration of Life will be planned for late spring/early summer.