Obituary of Allen James Heckman

Allen James Heckman, 83, of Greeley lost his battle with cancer on December 2, 2023 at his home surrounded by family.  He was born on July 4, 1940 to Jake and Henrietta (Helzer) Heckman in the Greeley Hospital.  He graduated from College High School in Greeley in 1958 and then went on to serve in the United States Army from 1959 to 1963.  After his military service, he returned to Colorado and worked in the concrete industry for several years.  On July 14, 1967, Allen married Barbie Dyer in Greeley, CO.  They celebrated their 56^th anniversary this year.  Together they were blessed with a daughter, Kimberly.  They moved back to the Eaton/Greeley area and farmed together with his parents.  He and his wife built an onion processing facility on their farm, and they began sorting and marketing onions after the death of his parents.  He then worked for Nix Produce and in 1997, he became the manager of Greeley Division of Griffin Holder Rocky Ford Onion Company from which he retired in 2009.  Allen enjoyed farming, raising cattle, fishing, stock car racing, and after retiring, he enjoyed traveling, gardening and family gatherings.

            He is survived by his wife Barbie, daughter Kimberly and husband Mark Ross, cousin Marvin (Dorothy) Heckman, step grandchildren Mark John Ross and Desiree Ross, brothers-in-law Ron Dyer, Roy Dyer, Rady Dyer and Randy Dyer and sister-in-law Bonnie (Dyer) Berner.  Allen is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters Harriet and June, and step mother Eleanor.

            Allen’s Life Celebration will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 8, 2023 at the Eaton Baptist Church, 228 2^nd Street, Eaton, CO.  Interment will be at the Eaton Cemetery with a light lunch to follow back at the church’s downstairs Fellowship Hall.  Memorial gifts may be made to the Eaton Baptist Church in care of Adamson Life Celebration Home.