David Barrett Heck's Obituary
David Barrett Heck, 78, passed peacefully and quietly from us the morning of April 27, 2026.
David was born January 16, 1948, at Victoria Hospital in Miami, Florida. He was welcomed by his loving parents, James and Ruth Heck and two brothers Douglas and Scott. They later welcomed their sister Carolyn to complete their family.
He attended David Fairchild Elementary, South Miami Junior High and Coral Gables Senior High, graduating in 1965. He was a member of Crescent Club and on the track team at Gables. He attended Wheaton College for 2 years and finally graduated from Florida International University in 1985.
David met his future wife Katherine at Shenandoah Presbyterian Church when they were just four years old. One Sunday night after church David walked down the aisle of the sanctuary, took Katherine’s arm, saying “Let’s go” and she went. The rest is history. They continued their relationship long distance through the next year of college. In 1968 they returned to Miami and were married at Shenandoah Presbyterian Church, where they had first met. They’ve been together for 57 years.
Shenandoah Presbyterian Church played a huge role in David’s life, not only helping introduce him to Katherine, but also helping introduce and nurture him in his faith as he grew up and eventually became a father. He taught Sunday School, was ordained as a deacon, and ministered to a group of men and women who came to the church from a half-way house nearby. In 1994 David and family started attending Granada Presbyterian Church where he again taught Sunday School and ministered to a men’s group. In 2008 David decided, after many years of contemplation, to convert to Catholicism and he joined St. John Neumann Catholic Church, serving as a lecter. He attended faithfully, even continuing to watch services online when he could no longer attend in person.
David worked hard all his life. As a teenager, he enjoyed working at Woodlawn Cemetery in the summer with a group of friends and relatives doing lawn maintenance and other odd jobs. These were some of the happiest times of their lives. In David’s early 20s he worked at Grant School, a school for disabled children, helping to build the school. David and Katherine also acted as house parents to a group of boys who lived at the school.
In 1973 David began working at Royal Sea Services as a general office worker. In 1975 he was promoted to freight manager and his career in logistics had begun. In 1992 David was hired as the Transportation Coordinator for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. His time at Royal Caribbean gave him the opportunity to travel to many ports around the world, and he met some wonderful coworkers and friends who he would eventually move with to Eagle USA, Geodis Wilson and Universal Logistics.
Illness forced David’s retirement in 2018, and in 2019 he and Katherine realized a dream when they moved to East Ridge Retirement Village, a place much beloved by their families. David was a third generation Villager after his grandmother, parents and aunts and uncle. His retirement was filled with reading his many books, especially his Grandpop’s Bible.
David is survived by his wife Katherine, his daughter Elisabeth Anne, his brothers Doug Heck (Vernadene) and Scott Heck (Barbara), and is predeceased by his sister Carolyn Callahan (John). He is also survived by his cousin and best friend from birth all the way to the end, Reid Hasencamp. He leaves behind brothers-in-law Jim Martin (Jennifer), Peter Martin (Susan), and Daniel Martin (Joanne) and sister-in-law Carol Jean Martin Marchese (Russ), and is predeceased by brothers-in-law Tim Martin (Ginger) and Paul Martin (Margot). He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, and many Lesters and Hasencamps.
We will miss him mightily
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