Bonnie Carol Heck

Bonnie Carol Beernink Heck passed away in Tucson, Arizona on the morning of December 25, 2023 after battling Parkinson’s Disease for many years. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 27, 1941 to Clarence and Viola Beernink, Bonnie was the third of their three daughters. Bonnie graduated from Pulaski High School in 1959 during which time she enjoyed participating in water ballet. She attended Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin where she joined the Chi Omega sorority and The University of Wisconsin in Madison where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design. Her first design job was with Don Reppen and Associates in Madison, Wisconsin before she moved across the country for warmer weather to Southern California. She worked in Interior Design as both a designer and a buyer for 15 years for companies such as American Hospital Supply, Elsters, Hyatt House Corporation, and Walt Disney Productions, as well as doing freelance work.

Bonnie married Andy Heck on August 31, 1974 and their daughter Andrea was born on February 14, 1979. Bonnie continued to use her interior design skills as she and Andy moved many times over the years within Southern California and then to Tucson, Arizona; Bloomington, Indiana; New Orleans, Louisiana; Naples, Florida; and Oro Valley, Arizona.

Bonnie’s first love was dance. She was very proud to have danced ballet on pointe in her youth. In the 1980s she was very involved with clogging and competed with a small group. Bonnie was also skilled at sewing and embroidery. She made clothes, costumes for her clogging group, costumes for her daughter, many fantastic quilts and quilted bags, many pieces of cross stitch and embroidery artwork, knitted many blankets, and loved sewing hats and costumes for The Naples Players Theater. Her artistic skills also included pottery, painting and drawing, with a preference for colored pencil flowers. Bonnie loved to swim, enjoyed doing puzzles, and even took up bocce ball while in Florida. Bonnie learned to play the piano at a young age and continued playing her entire life. At Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church in California, Bonnie was instrumental in the addition of a handbell choir and she continued playing the handbells in Tucson for many years. Bonnie also loved football season and could be found cheering for Wisconsin and Ohio State on Saturdays and the Green Bay Packers on Sundays.

Bonnie is preceded in death by both of her parents and her sister Doris (Riese). Bonnie is survived by her husband Andy Heck, their daughter Andrea Heck, her sister JoAnn (Holl), her brother-in-law Peter Riese, her sister-in-law and her husband Cindy (Heck) and Ed Nold, along with her nieces and nephews Kathy Bils, Bob Holl, Susan Riese, Karen Savaglia, Barbara Barr, Andy Nold and Lisa Nold.

In Bonnie’s memory, the family asks that contributions be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686#!/donation/checkout

A celebration of life memorial service will be held at Christ Presbyterian Church at 6565 E. Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona 85710 on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 2:00pm (Arizona Mountain Time). This service will be officiated by Pastor Steve Melde.