Doris A. Heckert of Berthoud, Colo., went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016. She was born to Wesley B. Heckert and Grace Mason Heckert on April 28, 1926, on a farm in Lenawee County Mich., where she loved the farm life and being close to nature. She graduated from Sand Creek High School, Sand Creek, Mich., in 1944 and continued her education, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Arts from Sienna Heights College in Adrian, Mich.

Doris taught school for 30 years, the first six being in a one-room country school where she was janitor as well as teacher. She found these years interesting and good training for the rest of her teaching career. She taught at Houghton Lake, Mich., for four years and three years in Tecumseh, Mich. During these years she also worked as a telephone operator and as a bookmobile librarian at the Lenawee County Library in Adrian, Mich.

The later years of her teaching career were spent as an employee of the United States government, teaching the children of U.S. military servicemen in various parts of the world. She held teaching assignments with the U.S. Army in Frankfurt and Augsburg, Germany. She also held assignments with the U.S. Navy in Kenitra, Morocco and with the U.S. Airforce at Incirlik Air Base, Adana, Turkey; Soesterberg, the Netherlands; and at Woodbridge/Bentwater Air Base near the North Sea in England. During movement from one assignment to another she drove alone in her little Volkswagen automobile from Frankfurt, Germany through several Communist-held territories to Istanbul, Turkey for her assignment at Incirlik Air Base in Adana, Turkey. It was a nerve-wracking trip but, thankfully, occurred without incident.

She traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East while teaching, the highlight being two trips to the Holy Land.

Doris enjoyed music and loved to sing. She sang in several church choirs and occasionally as a soloist. She also enjoyed sports and was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies and the Denver Broncos.

She was preceded in death by two siblings and is survived by a brother David Heckert of Berthoud, Colo., and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.

Cremation will take place with a memorial service to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of your choice. Go to www.viegutfuneralhome.com for condolences.