Judith A. Hecker, 74, Gladstone, died Monday, February 8, 2021 at home with family at her side. Judith’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, February 20, 2021 at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Gladstone with Fr. Thomas Wordekemper, OSB as celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery, Belfield with Fr. Myroslav Dumych and Deacon Leonard Kordonowy presiding. Visitation will be on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a rosary and Panakhyda at 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Judith Ann Rodakowski was born on September 23, 1946 in Dickinson, the oldest of six children of Joseph and Katherine (Krivoruchka) Rodakowski. She was raised in the Fairfield area where she attended country school and later attended Belfield High School. She eventually earned her GED in Fargo. She was her dad’s big helper as she always loved to be outdoors, having operated trucks and tractors.
Judith was united in marriage to Francis X. Hecker on October 2, 1971 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Belfield and to this union two children were born, Arles and Francine who were joined by five of Francis’s children.
She worked at various jobs and volunteered for numerous activities, but her greatest joys came from raising their children. Judy was always a patient, responsible and loving person.
She enjoyed circle-a-word puzzles, bingo, going to the casino, playing pinochle with Jim Leintz, going camping and fishing, reading books, watching westerns, cooking, mysteries and haunted ghost shows, and the companionship of her cats and dogs.
Judith is survived by her children, Arles Hecker, Gladstone, Francine Hecker, Gladstone, Bruce (Lynelle) Hecker, Dickinson, Wade Hecker, Dickinson, Sandy (Wayne) Kaufman, Gladstone, Mark (Shelly) Hecker, Gillette, Wyo. and Pam (Jimmy Serna) Lynch, Dickinson; ten grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren; and her siblings, Gayle Simnioniw, Bismarck, David (Karen) Rodakowski, Fairfield, Yvonne (Ken) Remmick, Bismarck, Stephanie (Steve) Yesel, Bismarck, and Arnold Rodakowski, Dickinson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, on September 2, 2017; brother-in-law, Bob Simnioniw; daughter-in-law, Sue Hecker; her parents; her in-laws; grandparents; and numerous aunts and uncles.
