Keith Heefner

Family-Placed Death Notice

HEEFNER, Keith Keith Dean Heefner, 76, Fayetteville, GA, beloved husband of Beverly Brighton Heefner for 55 years, went home to be with our Lord October 8, 2010. A memorial service to remember his life and celebrate that homecoming will be held October 16, 2010 at 11:00 AM at Southwest Christian Church, East Point, Dr. James Donovan and Reverend Paul Carrier, officiating. Visitation is at 10:00 AM. Keith was born May 6, 1934 in Cedar Rapids, IA. He graduated from Natick High School in Natick, MA and attended college at Northeastern and Iowa State prior to joining the Air Force Cadets. He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin Roy and Eva McCalley Heefner. Keith was a life long pilot, obtaining his solo license at age 16 and fulfilling his dream as a commercial airline pilot starting with Southern Airways, retiring as a Captain with Northwest Airlines in 1994. Prior to his airline career, he served his country as a First Lieutenant and at age 22, as Aircraft Commander of a KC-97 in the 306th Air Refueling Squadron of the Strategic Air Command. After thousands of flights over six decades, Keith's final flight was the fall of 2008 when he flew his personal aircraft to Colorado to its new owner. Keith served his community and his church over the years as a Fayette County Planning Commissioner, Southwest Christian Church deacon, and Lakeshore High School Booster Club President to list just a few. Keith's greatest pleasure however, was spending time with his loving family, whether it be boating or attending "Fly-Away" church at beautiful Lake Burton, cooking BBQ, biscuits or waffles, traveling, or just participating in children's or grandchildren's activities. Keith, who had a tremendous love for God's creation and His animals, was also an avid supporter of Operation Migration, an organization dedicated to reintroduce Whooping cranes into a natural migratory route using ultra-light aircraft. In addition to his wife, Keith is survived by his sister, Prudence, and Richard Query, Brainerd, MN, brother, Cary, and Kathleen Heefner, Annapolis, MD, son, Scott, and Sandra Heefner, Woodbridge, VA, daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy), and Tim Thoms, Fayetteville, GA, grandchildren, Kathleen Brighton Heefner, Daniel Scott Heefner, Whitney Glenn Heefner, Chelsea Brighton Thoms, and Dean Allen Thoms. Donations may be made to Southwest Christian Care, 7225 Lester Road, Union City, GA 30291, or to Operation Migration, 1623 Military Rd., PMB# 639, Niagara Falls, NY 14304-1745, or operationmigration.org. Flowers may be sent to Parrott Funeral Home, which is handling the memorial service, 8355 Senoia Road, Fairburn, GA 30213