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Letter to the editor

After a lifetime of dreaming, she finished her book

By STEPHANIE HAYES, Times Staff Writer
Published November 8, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Last year, Nancy Heckert published a book about her family's history, Rosemont. [Family photo]

DUNEDIN - The cancer was getting worse, but Nancy Heckert held on. She had some things to do.

After a lifetime of dreaming, she had finally written and published her family history, Rosemont. She wanted to leave her entire family autographed copies. So with weak hands, she personally signed four books each day until she got to 100 books.

She awaited the arrival of her great-grandson, Avery, who was born Oct. 10. Then, weeks later, she died. She was 83.

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Perseverance was her thing.

She made it through the Depression and a troubling divorce. And as a newly single mother, she made it from California to North Carolina on a train, five children in tow.

She settled at Rosemont, a family home in North Carolina. It was a haven for Ms. Heckert, who postdivorce didn't even have a car. With her kids in Catholic school, she finished her bachelor's degree in nursing at age 44.

The family moved to Florida about 40 years ago, and Ms. Heckert taught nursing. She married two more times. In retirement, she earned a master's degree.

She became a vegetarian and got interested in meditation, yoga, reflexology and holistic health. Living in Dunedin, she taught tai chi to members of the Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens.

She would sit with them in a circle, teach hand movements and pass out sugar-free candy.

"They adored her," said her daughter, Jill Marie Smith, 52. "They looked to her as if she was a grandmother."

Family history meant everything. Ms. Heckert had to put it into words.

In her 70s, she took writing classes at St. Petersburg College. There, she noticed classmates using computers.

She took computer classes, learned to check e-mail and use the word processor. Then she typed three chapters and accidentally deleted them.

Longhand drafts in hand, she started over. Halfway through writing the book, she had cataract surgery. Then, in 2006, cancer.

Her family rallied to help finish the book. This year, Rosemont was printed through a private publisher.

In June, the family gathered for a dual celebration - her 83rd birthday, and her very first book signing.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com or 727 893-8857.

BIOGRAPHY

Nancy Heckert

Born: June 15, 1924.

Died: Oct. 30, 2007.

Survivors: children, Jean Coward, Jill Smith, Don Attenhofer, Scott Attenhofer and their spouses; stepchildren, Kim White and Nancy Jo Smith; brothers, John Altieri, Jerry Altieri and Joseph Altieri; cousin, Hugh Owen; 19 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren. Sylvan Abbey.

Services: 10 a.m. Nov. 17 at Light of Christ Catholic Church, 2176 Marilyn St., Clearwater.

[Last modified November 7, 2007, 22:47:30]