Kimberly Heckman

The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29:19. Today, the meek, the humble, and the poor often go unnoticed—and their stories untold. Kimberly Kay Heckman could easily be one of those stories. But not to those who loved her. Kim entered this world on January 10, 1965, on a very bright, cold, sunny day with deep snow, born to Thomas and Phoebe Heckman (née Gulledge) at Women's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Kim was the delight of her grandparents Harold and Florence Heckman and Hugh and Virginia Gulledge. She was raised in Madison, Ohio alongside her two younger brothers Thomas (Tina) Heckman, Jr. and Jason (Teri) Heckman. Kim was an intelligent and talented student. She emphasized precision in her schoolwork, achieving A's with little effort. During high school, she played the flute in marching band and attended karate classes with her mom and brothers earning a purple belt. She graduated from Madison High School in 1983 and went on to obtain her Associate of Arts degree from Lakeland Community College in 1990 and Medical Secretary Diploma in 2005. She had big dreams, including becoming a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and a lawyer. During her early adult years, she began experiencing severe mental illness, but she never let it define her life. The greatest joy in Kim's life were her two children Timothy (Kelley) Heckman and April (Bruce) Bensimone, and her four grandchildren Phoebe, Russel, Miles, and Penelope (who was born in March 2025). Her children affectionately called her "Mom-o-thy Dan Two" and she affectionately called her son "Timothy Dan the Wee Ducks Man" and her daughter "Cupcake" for daughter's sweetness and "Dearness" for being so dear to her. And while she never made it to a football field, Kim became her children's and grandchildren's greatest cheerleader. Kim often defied traditions and expectations to show her love and support for her children – such as being the only parent to sit next to her son at the team table at his cross-country banquet. And the only parent to join her daughter on the field during a track meet instead of sitting in the bleachers. Throughout her life, she never lost her childhood enthusiasm for playing games, riding roller coasters, going to the circus, or eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream, a favorite of hers as an admitted chocoholic. And that enthusiasm was a gift to her children and grandchildren who experienced a mom and grandma that was often more excited to play games, go to the playground, or theme park than they were. Throughout her life, society told Kim that people like her wouldn't be able to raise successful children. But with family support, unwavering love, boundless kindness, and immense dedication to her children, Kim defied those expectations, proving them wrong. Her son earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Ashland University and has a successful career in the insurance industry. And though Kim's dream of becoming a lawyer was never realized, her daughter took that dream and made it her own, earning her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University and working, for a time, at an employment discrimination law firm to help others, like her mom, facing discrimination. Kim's love and perseverance shaped the lives of her children, leaving a legacy of resilience and accomplishment. Any party or event was not complete without Kim. She laughed easily and often – never taking herself too seriously. She loved showing her "silly goose" side, making her the hit of any gathering. Kim's kaleidoscopic life involved loving interactions with her family, friends, church, and community that left an indelible mark on the hearts of those who met and knew her. For most of her life she was a member of the Calvary Fellowship Baptist Church, whose members were always kind and good to Kim. She exemplified a true Christian ethic with her honesty, her kindness, and her attention to treating others as Christ would. She had a professorial knowledge of the Bible and always enjoyed a theological discussion for anyone brave enough to engage her on her "turf." Kim spread the gospel wherever she went whether it was wearing a huge "Jesus changed my life" pin, as a conversation starter, or passing out "Trick or Truth" bible tracts with candy taped inside at Halloween. And her pre-meal prayers may have lasted longer than some Sunday sermons, but it was always the highlight of any family meal. She communicated in a way all her own – speaking with a slow, distinctive "101 Nebraska Street" dialect, a name derived from the fact that the only people in the world who spoke it lived at that very address. Her accent sounded like a mix of Midwest and East Coast with heavy dash of elongating random vowels and consonants and a lazy pronunciation of other words like "going to" became "guah." And she could always be counted on for unique pronunciations of words, such as "shiitake," "chipotle," "jalapeno," and "asiago." She was honest to a fault and took care to include every precise microscopic detail of a story; this combination made her "naturally funny" as she would often boast. Her family found her communication style so endearing that many developed their own "Kimpressions" so that she could be with them wherever they went. Being independent and working in her community was of upmost importance to Kim. The jobs she worked were humble, but she threw everything she had into each one. She was never the fastest worker, but she was the most thorough and accurate. And she always maintained a healthy sense of humor about herself embracing the sloth as her spirit animal, enjoying a morning sloffee, and sporting her sloth hiking team t-shirt, "we will get there, when we get there." She held many jobs including Flex, Inc. (braider – assembler), Bob Evan's (busser), Burger King (crew member), and Western Reserve Healthcare (dietary aide). During the Covid-19 pandemic, Kim fearlessly worked as a dietary aide at the Austinburg Nursing and Rehabilitation where she eventually retired. While at Burger King she earned the nickname "Kimbo Slice" after the MMA fighter – a name her family embraced – because she would often tell her colleagues they needed to, "Eat. Sleep. Fight." Kim constantly battled stigma and discrimination because of her mental illness that she was eager to fight. She urged others to "see the person, not the illness" to break the stigma. Her family hopes that in telling her story people will see the unique wonderful joy Kim was, especially to her family – not the illness. Although Kim was always loving, kind, and tenderhearted, it was not always reciprocated. She endured a lengthy history of domestic violence from her partners, who preyed on her mental illness. At the time of her passing, she had been living independently and safely on her own—and had never been happier. May her beautiful soul now rest in peace forever. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, from 1:00pm-3:00pm, at the Mentor Beach Park Pavilion (North Room), 7779 Lakeshore Blvd., Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH., 44060. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence at https://ncadv.org/ or the National Alliance on Mental Illness at https://www.nami.org.

Kimberly Heckman

January 10, 1965 - January 30, 2025