LIVESTREAM LINK FOR HAROLD L. HESCHKE

Harold  L.  Heschke , 93, of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away Friday evening, March 12, 2021 in the Accura Healthcare of Cherokee.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Church of Christ in Cherokee, Iowa.  Pastor David Hall will officiate.  There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. with the family present from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa.  Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Cherokee, Iowa with military rites by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. and the Cherokee American Legion. Masks will be required at the visitation and funeral service. The funeral service will be live streamed on the Boothby Funeral Home website with the assistance of Fuller Digital Solutions. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the First Church of Christ in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com .

Harold Heschke was the only son of Arthur and Ethel (Spears) Heschke, born August 3, 1927 on a farm by Rembrandt, Iowa.  He completed 8 years of education at the Rembrandt  Consolidated Schools.  T5 Corporal Harold Heschke served his country for two years in Sendai, Japan, 8 ^th Army 9 ^th Core in the Automotive Maintenance division as a transportation driver for a lieutenant.  He is a lifetime member of the Cherokee VFW and member of the First Church of Christ.

Harold met the love of his life, Beverly Vannatta, at the roller-skating rink in Storm Lake.  They were married on December 19, 1949 at Storm Lake, Iowa.  They were blessed with 71 years together.  They brought into this world four children: Larry, Pam, Duane, and Twyla.  Harold loved to roller skate, dance, and sing.  He and Bev taught their children and their grandchildren to roller skate.  They roller skated into their late 70's spending time with their skating friends and the Vannatta family members.  Many a time they would move the dining room table so they could dance and encouraged the kids to join in.

Harold was a truck driver hauling for B&H Hatchery, Rausch Trucking, Lubeck Oil Company, Christensen Brothers, and Hy-Vee Distribution retiring in 2005.  He enjoyed his years on the road and the stories he would tell of what he had seen, experienced situations, his trucker friends and coworkers were never ending.  He enjoyed looking at maps and retracing routes he had taken and remembering the different farms, ranches, packing plants, towns, cafes, and people he had met.

Harold was a happy man and he shared that with everyone he met.  He was always ready to tease or good naturally give someone a hard time.  One of his greatest joys was listening to his four children sing together in church or at home.  He loved all kinds of music but especially big band, country, and gospel.  His favorite song when he was on the road was "6 Days on the Road and I'm Gonna Make It Home Tonight".  He was always tapping his foot to the beat or swaying to the music even when sitting in a chair.  His love of music deepened over the years and he especially enjoyed watching and listening to Alan Jackson sing gospel country music.  He entered Accura Healthcare in January 2020 after a stroke where he resided happily sharing his humor and teasing the staff and residents until his passing.

His family was very important to him.  He was always the comforter and encourager.  Always wanting to help or give you what you needed for the situation.  Sometimes just a hug or a pat on the back or a few kind words that made everything better.  And he made everything fun.

He leaves behind his wife, Beverly of Cherokee, Children: Larry (Jean) of Cherokee, Pam (Mike) Cronin of Cleghorn, Duane of Aurelia, and Twyla (Kevin) Schmillen of Cherokee.  14 grandchildren: Lane (Barb) Jones of Rembrandt, Jeanna (Gabe) Morgan of Merrill, Kim (Nate) Galles, of Fort Dodge, Angela Meredith of Lake View, Kris (Luke) Fleener of Duncombe, Kelly (Jeff) Price of Chandler, Arizona, Kathy (Mike) Leach of Cherokee, Dustin (Holly) Schmillen of Cherokee, Tara (Aaron) Junker of Cedar Falls, Roger (Carrie) Howard of Ankeny, Becky McGee of Fonda, Ronda Howard of Sioux City, Ray (Lacey) Howard of Tennessee, and Renee (Lonny) Stull of Storm Lake, 40 great grandchildren, sisters-in-law: Darlene Patten, Dolores Vannatta, and Linda Vannatta, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Gordon Jones, daughter-in-law JoLynn (Nelson) Heschke, brother-in-laws: Luverne, Robert, Clifford, and Darrel Vannatta, Kenneth Patten, and sister-in-laws Delores Vannatta and Marion Vannatta.