Seward Forrest Heckaman, 86, passed away Feb. 23, 2016, in his Columbia City home. He was born Aug. 27, 1929, in Bremen, to Forrest Henry and Anna Marie Heyde Heckaman. On Aug. 7, 1948, in Pascagoula, Miss., he married Jean “Arlene” Kaufman, who survives in Columbia City. He was a 1947 graduate of Burket High School. He entered the United States Air Force Aug. 10, 1947, and proudly served his country for 20 years. Having served in the Strategic Aerospace Division, Senior Master Sergeant Seward F. Heckaman was honorably discharged Aug. 31, 1967 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. He lived in Lompoc, Calif., for 51 years. He was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Lompoc, Calif. Also surviving are a daughter, Dorothy (and spouse Eugene) Gillespie, Cumberland, Md.; two sons, David Seward (and spouse Sonja) Heckaman, Lompoc, and Dirk Edward (and spouse Michelle) Heckaman, St. George, Utah; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four sisters: Karen Bucher, Columbia City; Rosemary Williamson, Papillion, Neb.; Maxine Taylor, La Fontaine; Diana (and spouse Paul) Bedics, Tippecanoe; and a brother, Doyle (and spouse Bernita) Heckaman, Silver Lake. He was preceded in death by a sister, Phyllis Swick. A celebration of life will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. Military graveside honors will be conducted by American Legion Post 49 and VFW Post 1126, both of Warsaw. Calling is from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials to Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 205 W. Chestnut Ave. Lompoc, CA 93436.
