Shirley Dolores Heckman

On March 15, 2025, a day after celebrating her 96th birthday, Shirley Dolores (Stief) Heckman passed away peacefully with family by her side after a long journey with Alzheimer’s Disease. A former resident of Fritztown, PA, she resided at the Lutheran Home of Topton for the past seven years. Shirley was a member of St. John’s Reformed Church in Sinking Spring, PA.

Shirley enjoyed a life full of purpose and joy. After graduating from Sinking Spring High School, she trained and worked as a hairdresser eventually moving on to work at Arrow International as a hypodermic needle inspector as well as manage Green Hills Golf Course for several years. After retirement, she enjoyed connecting with others as a census enumerator and manager of her son’s apartment rentals. No matter her age she had a work ethic like no other, to put Shirley on the task was to guarantee the job would get done.

Shirley was a matriarch in the truest sense of the word. She was fierce in her love and devotion when it came to her family. There was nothing “Mommom” wouldn't do from watching or shuttling her grandchildren at the drop of a hat, taking them on countless vacations or day trips, cheering them on at every game, performance or life milestone, to hosting them for holiday dinners with a tree and décor to rival those seen in a magazine.

Shirley had a passion for shopping and collecting anything from unique jewelry to porcelain dolls and antiques. She loved golf, watching football and spending time being busy under the sun, whether planting flowers, mowing the lawn, or caring for a beloved brood of outdoor cats on her patio. Shirley also enjoyed traveling, with cherished trips to Greece, Aruba, California, Las Vegas and Canada. Yet, it was the beaches of Wildwood Crest and Cape May that truly held her heart, where she would often be found collecting seashells at sunrise. Shirley was unstoppable and lucky to enjoy these hobbies well into her mid-80s.

Shirley leaves behind her children Sharon Durkee of Media, PA, Barry (Ruthanne) Seiders of Exeter, PA, R.G. Heckman of Las Vegas, NV, Beverly (Gerald) Wert of Mohnton, PA and Debbie (Frederick) Brightbill of Sinking Spring, PA. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Jason (Amanda Behrle) Seiders, Joshua (Brooke) Seiders, Aaron (Michele) Durkee, Kelly (Derek) Kaleida, Heidi (Timothy) Krenitsky, Scott (Allison) Wert and Laura (Bryan) Shober as well as 20 great grandchildren. She will forever remain in the hearts of her loved ones and will be deeply missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edna and Walter Stief, as well as husbands G. Phillip Seiders and Bob Heckman.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 10:00am at Bean Funeral Home 129 E. Lancaster Ave. Shillington, PA 19607. Interment will be privately held at Pleasant View Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home from 9:00am-10:00am.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in Shirley’s memory.