Landon Heck

Landon Carroll Heck

MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Landon Carroll Heck, 90, of Martinsville, (King's Grant Community) died Monday, April 9, 2012, surrounded by loved ones.

He was born on May 10, 1921, in Rogersville, Tenn., to the late Landon Haynes Heck and Buna Carroll Heck. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Ray Heck and his wife of 68 years, Katherine Young Heck.

Mr. Heck met his wife at a Catawba football game in 1938 when he gave "that cute redhead" a candy bar. They dated all through college and were married on June 4, 1942, two weeks after their graduation. Together they had two children, Joy Cox of Summit, N.J., and Bill Heck of Fargo, N.D. Joy Cox and her husband, Kevin, have two sons, Bradley Cox of Reading, Mass., and Geoffrey Cox of Watertown, Mass. Bill Heck has one son, Keith Heck of Charlottesville, Va. Keith and his wife, Beth, have two daughters, Anna and Ava Heck.

Mr. Heck was a graduate of and later taught at Boyden High School in Salisbury, N.C. A graduate of Catawba College in Salisbury, he received his MS in Physics from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.

During World War II, Mr. Heck was a communications officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps with the rank of First Lieutenant. He was later a reserve officer in the U. S. Air Force.

He began his career with E.I. DuPont, Inc. in Wilmington, Del., in 1951 as a nuclear physicist. He also worked in Aiken, S.C., and Chattanooga, Tenn., and retired from the Martinsville, Va., plant in 1984. Mr. Heck was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Martinsville. He enjoyed yard work, his house at Smith Mountain Lake, joking around with everyone he met, and giving out candy bars, silver dollars and two dollar bills.

He was a loving and very involved grandfather and treasured time spent with his family. His family and friends will always remember his fun spirit, his outgoing sense of humor, his generosity and his huge heart.

Service and Visitation: A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 16 at First United Methodist Church of Martinsville, Va., with Pastor Ron Mateer and Pastor Sarah Whitmore officiating. The family will receive friends, prior to the service, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., in the church fellowship hall.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 146 E. Main St., Martinsville, VA 24112; or King's Grant Fellowship Fund, 350 Kings Way Road, Martinsville, VA 24112.

Norris Funeral Services, Inc. and Crematory, Martinsville, Va., is serving the Heck family. Online condolences may be made at www.NorrisFuneral.com.