Anton D. Hecker, 84, formerly of Dickinson, died Thursday, November 19, 2009 at the care center in Sidney, Mont. Tony’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Dickinson. Entombment will follow at the Dickinson Mausoleum. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday at Ladbury Funeral Service. There will be a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., Tuesday at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Anton Dan Hecker was born December 29, 1924 on the family farm by New Hradec to Joseph C. and Wilhelmena (Wock) Hecker where he then spent his childhood. He worked on the family farm until he was 23 years old when he then met and married Elizabeth “Betty” Boltz on November 24, 1947. Together they moved to Glendive, Mont. and in 1950 they moved to Dickinson where they started their family and Tony worked for Guelph and Sons Trucking. In 1965 they moved to a farm by Wibaux, Mont. where Tony embraced his passion for farming and continued to expand their family. In 1981 the Heckers moved to Belfield before moving back to Dickinson in 1987 where they resided until April of 2009.
Tony loved farming and working with the land. He also competed in tractor pulls with his Allis Chalmers Tractor. Tony enjoyed traveling south for the winters with his wife Betty. Tony also enjoyed any type of work that could be done in the shop with his hands such as making wagons for his grandchildren and shelves, birdhouses and picture frames for all his family and friends. He loved to go for coffee with his friends and always enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Tony is survived by his seven children, Jerry (Shirley) Hecker, Sheridan, Mont., Ray (Kathy) Hecker, Sheridan, Wyo., Doug (Cindy) Hecker, Sidney, Mont., Bryan Hecker, Sidney, Mont., Lynelle (Jacob) Urlacher, Dickinson, Sheryl Meyer, Denver, Colo., and Kelvin (Jody) Hecker, Sheridan, Wyo.; brothers, Pete (Bonnie) Hecker, Richardton, Francis (Judy) Hecker, Gladstone, Christ (Shirley) Hecker, Wichita, Kan., Herman Hecker, Dickinson; two sisters: Marie Urbanec, Omaha, Neb., and Marci (Frank) Krug, Idaho; 16 grandchildren, Leann Pippinch, Clint Hecker, Justin Hecker, Kari Hecker, Brent Hecker, Stephanie Hatter, Nicole Hecker, Ryan Hecker, Bill Hecker, Rachel Hecker, Monica Sandmeier, Brittany Sandmeier, Skyler Heck, Colin Meyer, Nathan Hecker and Camryn Hecker; 11 great-grandchildren. Tony was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-two years Elizabeth “Betty” on April 9, 2009; two brothers, Bernard and Lawrence Hecker; and one sister Theresa Thordason.
