Mike Heckford

Mike Heckford, 93, formerly of Power, MT, passed away on Friday, August 4, 2017 at a nursing home in Cheyenne. A memorial service will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel in Great Falls, followed by a reception. There will be a private family interment following the reception. Memorial donations may be made to Guardian Angel Catholic Church, PO Box 105, Power, MT 59468, or the charity of your choice. Arrangements are in the care of O’Connor Funeral Home. Mike was born on November 12, 1923 on the family homestead, two miles west of Dutton, MT, to Christ and Agnes Klein. At birth he was Henry Michael Klein and was the youngest of six children, all of whom have preceded him in death. At the age of one, circumstances put Mike and his next older brother, Paul, on a farm four miles south of Power, being the homestead of Bill and Nellie Heckford. Nellie was a cousin to Agnes. Mike grew up on the farm and graduated from Power High School in 1941. At the age of 21, Mike changed his name to Mike Heckford. In 1945 he married Mary Louise Ashworth, and they had three children who lived in Power with them: Nancy (Mike) Colgan of Cheyenne, Don (Joanne) Heckford of Culver, IN, and Dan (Vicki) Heckford. He has eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Mike worked 10 years for Homestead Honey in Power before returning to the family farm in the early 1950’s. Mike was very active in the Power community, serving on the local co-op board, member of the volunteer fire department, and member of the original board that brought a water and sewer district to the town of Power. He helped form a group of locals to move the former Power Railroad Depot to an uptown spot and remodeled it for use as a Senior Citizens building. He was a parishioner of the Power Guardian Angel Catholic Church and a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. For a number of years Mike was the scoutmaster for the Power Boy Scout Troup, and for many years he drove a Power school bus and was a favorite of the sports teams as a driver to their events. He was a devoted family man and husband, with an approach to honesty in all things. He worked hard to see that his family had a good life. In 1988 Mike retired from farming. He enjoyed his retired life in Power and traveled extensively in America and Canada with lifelong friends. Later he enjoyed his summers at his cabin on Seeley Lake. In March of 2013, Mike and Louise moved to a retirement home in Cheyenne, WY. Louise preceded him in death on August 30, 2016.