Obituaries
Obituary: John Franz Hecht, 101, of Cheshire
John worked as a carpenter at Cheshire Academy, proudly served in the U.S. Army, was a devoted dog lover, family man and lover of nature.
CHESHIRE, CT - (From Wallingford Funeral Home) John Franz Hecht, 101, died early Tuesday morning, May 31, 2022 at MidState Medical Center. He was the husband of the late Iris (Brielman) Hecht.
John was born in Meriden on February 27, 1921, and was a son of the late Frederick K. and Annie (Hoyland) Hecht.
John served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Dental Technician at Drew Field in Tampa, FL, and later overseas with the 12th Engineer Combat Battalion.
As a teenager, he was a member of the Meriden Turner Gymnastics Team. He was a roofer and owned a poultry farm in Cheshire for 25 years. John was also a carpenter at Cheshire Academy from 1962 until his retirement in 1985.
John and Iris moved to Bethlehem after his retirement. Always staying active, he cleared six acres of land, built a barn and planted a large vegetable garden.
John had a great respect for nature and cared deeply about the environment. He was never without a dog. He enjoyed a balanced life of hard work, some fun and a feeling of purpose. His daily routine included a shot of Jägermeister and a beer.
John is survived by his son, Jack Hecht and his wife Judy of Edinburg, VA; his daughter, Jean Martin with whom he resided with in Cheshire; his four grandsons, Brandon Martin and his wife Christina of Bristol, Christopher Hecht of Herndon, VA, Matthew Hecht of Edinburg, VA, and Marc Hecht and his wife Maureen of Tarrytown, NY; his great grandson, Evan Martin of Bristol; his three great-granddaughters, Caelia Coffey of Sacramento, CA, Zoe Martin of Bristol and River Hecht of Tarrytown, NY; his two nephews, James Hecht and Kevin Hecht; and his two nieces, Holly Bouchard and Kari Robarge.
He was predeceased by his two brothers, James Hecht and Frederick Hecht; and many beloved dogs.
Funeral services and Interment in Walnut Grove Cemetery will be private. Gifts in his memory may be sent to: the Meriden Humane Society, 311 Murdock Ave., Meriden, CT 06450.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Wallingford Funeral Home.
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