Dr. Richard "Dick" Hecker

Our loving father, Richard Jacob Hecker, 94, of Fort Collins, died at home on Saturday, March 25, 2023, one day before his 95th birthday.
Dr. Richard "Dick" Hecker was born on March 26, 1928 in Miles City, MT to John Hecker and Elizabeth (Schleder) Hecker. He graduated from Sumatra High School in 1945 (class size 3). Following high school he worked on the family ranch near Sumatra, MT for seven years, then served for two years in the U.S. Army in the Free Territory of Trieste. After his discharge from the Army, he attended Montana State College in Bozeman, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy. It was here that he met the love of his life, Diane Marie Lauer. They were married on August 12, 1958 in Terry, MT.
He was awarded a fellowship by the Beet Sugar Development Foundation to attend graduate school at Colorado State University. He earned a Ph.D. in plant genetics in 1964 while employed with the Agricultural Research Service, USDA in Fort Collins, CO. With two young children in tow, he transferred to Salinas, CA where he served as a scientist for one year before being transferred back to Fort Collins to serve as scientist and research leader in the Sugar Beet Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, on the CSU campus, until his retirement in 1992.
During his service at CSU he was a faculty affiliate and taught classes in plant breeding and guided graduate students in their studies for advanced degrees. As a scientist he contributed significantly to the development and adoption of hybrids in sugar beet, the discovery and development of genetic resistance to pathogens of sugar beet, and discovery of the production potential of hybrids with an additional set of genes. In the course of his career he wrote and published more than 100 scientific papers.
For his contributions to science in the course of his career, he was selected as a Fellow in the Crop Science Society of America and as a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy. In recognition for his contributions to advances in sugar beet production he was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists.
He was a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph Catholic Church. He served in Boy Scout leadership and on educational advisory committees of St. Joseph School and the Poudre School District.
By far, his devotion as a husband and father was his greatest accomplishment. He was a dad who taught his kids how to prepare, solve, repair, achieve, persevere, contribute, appreciate, enjoy and love.
Survivors include his daughter Carol Walbye of Fort Collins, son John and wife Laura of Larkspur CO, daughter Ann Perricone and husband Mario of Littleton CO, and son Douglas of Steamboat Springs CO, as well as his grandchildren Jackson Walbye, and Morgan and Paige Perricone, sister-in-law Holly Thomas and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Diane, his father and mother, his sister Alice Love, brothers Francis, Vincent and Jerome, sisters-in-law Ruth Hecker and Frances Hecker, brother-in-law Melvin "Mac" Love, and sons-in-law Michael Ragsdale and Jeffrey Walbye.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on April 12, 2023, 2:00 pm, at Saint Joseph Catholic Parish. Interment will take place at 3:15 pm, Grandview Cemetery, followed by a reception back at Saint Joseph Catholic Parish for a funeral dinner to be served at Meredith Hall in the church basement. If you wish to join Dick's service virtually, please follow either streaming link provided below: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfTYqQ96sVNl3ED-UZFF0eA https://www.facebook.com/StJosephChurchFC/
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph School, 101 N. Howes St, Fort Collins, CO 80521.