Donald Heppner

1930 - 2019

Donald Roger Heppner

November 26, 1930 - November 7, 2019

Raleigh

Donald Roger Heppner, age 88, of 108 Northbrook Drive passed away at Rex Hospital on November 7, 2019 after a long battle with congestive heart failure.

He was born November 26, 1930 in New York, New York to the late George and Eleanor Trimble Heppner. Following high school, Donald joined the U.S. Air Force where he proudly served for four years. When he returned home from the service, he earned an Electrical Engineering degree from Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute, now renamed New York University, and began his career at IBM. Donald and his late wife Kay relocated to Raleigh in 1974 with his job at IBM where he was an electrical engineer for 35 years, retiring in 1987. Donald and Kay were world travelers for many years until her death in 1998. One of his most memorable adventures was their trip to Australia where they explored the Great Barrier Reef.

Later in life, Donald married long time friend Violet Brackett. Donald and Vi traveled to many elder hostels over the years and shared their love for square dancing until a few years ago when his health began to decline. He enjoyed boating with his family at Lake Gaston, short wave radios, scuba diving, ballroom and line dancing, exercise classes at Rex Wellness Center, playing his Xbox and taking continuing education classes. He was always enrolled in a class of some sort. He earned a number of Associates Degrees from Wake Technical Community College, obtained a NC real estate license and completed many Spanish courses. Donald loved eating out, enjoying many years of retiree lunches with his group of friends from IBM. And he and Vi always looked forward to monthly dinner dates with their special group of friends in the Over the Hill dinner club and twice weekly dinners with Lynn and Allen Pond.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 15, 2019, at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church by the Rev. Father Patrick Keane. The family will have a private internment following in Raleigh Memorial Park.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Kay; sisters Lillian Foster and Dorothy Keane.

He is survived by his wife, Violet Brackett, nephew John Keane (Penny) of Raleigh, niece Kathryn Ann Keane of New Jersey, niece Dorothy Foster Shelton of Tennessee, niece Barbara Foster Gurlides (Keith) of Georgia and nephew Jimmy Foster (Laurina) of Florida, four great nieces, five great nephews, three great, great nieces and one great, great nephew.

The family will receive friends Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 E. Millbrook Road in Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Donald's memory to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2718 Overbrook Drive, Raleigh, NC 27608.