Muriel Esther Heeckt

Muriel passed quietly from this world at Kayden’s Loving Care in Mount Vernon, WA on June 18, 2026 with family at her bedside. She was 91 years of age and died with her own teeth, which she would often say was one of her wishes.

She was born on December 11, 1934 to Charles and Blanche (Bogar) Dearhamer at the Dearhamer family farm in Bruce, WI. She lost her father at a young age and was raised by her mother along with her 3 siblings. As a young woman, she worked at a movie theater in Ladysmith, WI and later as a telephone switchboard operator in Minneapolis.

She met the love of her life, Gerald (Jerry) Heeckt when he was a milker for her uncle. They married on May 1, 1954, had 5 children in short order and later adopted 1 more – 5 just wasn’t enough!

As most folks in Stanwood knew back in the day, it was a right of passage to work at Twin City Foods. She worked many summers there, making many lifelong friends. As the years passed, Mom wondered if something happened to Jerry, who would hire (as she put it) an old, fat woman. She said, “I know, I’ll become a nurse.” After raising her children, she went to school and became a registered nurse. Upon graduation, she worked for Josephine Sunset Home in Stanwood, WA until her retirement. She enjoyed helping the residents there and training other caregivers.

Playing cards with friends was a regular occurrence. Once she and Jerry retired, she enjoyed traveling back to Wisconsin often to visit family and friends, stopping at many places in between and doing a little gold panning here and there. She enjoyed going to theater shows with her friends and crossword puzzles.

Her survivors include five children, Dianne (Craig) Binckley, Joan Lund, Sandy (Ray) Erps, Laura Carson, and Eddy Heeckt, along with 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Gary Heeckt, her husband, Jerry, her son-in-law, Garry Lund, her son-in-law, Joe Carson and all 3 siblings – Theora Stiff, Mary Smith, and Jack Dearhamer.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Northwest in Mount Vernon, WA. A graveside service will be held at Anderson Cemetery in Stanwood, WA on a future date. Arrangements by Gilbertson Funeral Home, Stanwood, WA.