Mary Jane Hecht
Born: June 17th, 1918
Died: December 9th, 2012
Obituary
Mary Jane Hecht, 94, died Sunday, December 9, 2012 at Great River Hospice House, West Burlington, Iowa. She was born on June 17, 1918 in Moline, Illinois the daughter of Thomas James & Maria Theresa Traeger Cramer. On February 27, 1937 she married Waldemar Philip Calvin Hecht. He died on April 9, 1998. Mary was a graduate of the Moline High School. She worked as a clerk typist at John Deere Plow Works, Moline; Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico; salesperson at The Christian Book Store, Albuquerque, New Mexico; bookkeeper at Noelke-Lyon & Park Manor Nursing Home in Burlington. She was a member of the Burlington Women's Club and the League of Women Voters. At Bethany Lutheran Church she taught Sunday school and confirmation classes, and also served on the Altar Guild. She was an avid reader, wrote poetry and authored a book. Her faith was extremely important to her and she had a special love for her grandchildren. She enjoyed sewing and cooking. One of the highlights of her life was traveling to Europe and Alaska. She was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mediapolis and was a former member of Bethany Lutheran Church. She is survived by two sons, Calvin M. (Darlene) Hecht of Irvine, CA; Philip E. (Christine) Hecht of Ft. Madison, IA; four daughters, Kathleen (Russ) Williams of Danville, IA; Nancy (Mark) Swanson of Ashland, WI; Deborah (Jeff) Coon of Mediapolis, IA; Susan (Christine) Wagner-Hecht of Cedar Rapids, IA; one sister, Barbara "Bobby" Lundahl of Moline, IL; sixteen grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren, plus great-great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, two brothers, Jack "Bud" Cramer, & William "Billy" Cramer; five sisters, Dorothy Irwin, Helen Gamble, Gayle Meyer, Betty Van Oteghem & Jeanette Johnson. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 14, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mediapolis, IA. Pastor Jerleen Schlesser will officiate. Interment will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery. Memorials have been established for Immanuel Lutheran Church & Mediapolis Ambulance Service.