Richard Clayton Hegeman

Richard Clayton Hegeman, 63, of Thornton, Adams County, Colorado, died of lung cancer at the Denver Hospice in Denver County on Sunday evening, May 3, 2015—Rick entered into eternal life on his 63rd birthday. He resided at Montair Apartments on Grant Street for 20 years.

The Funeral Service will be held at the Newcomer Family Funeral Home, 901 South Sheridan Blvd in Lakewood on Monday, May 18, at 10:30 a.m. followed immediately by burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Dr. Larry Baker, North Suburban Medical Center Chaplain, will be officiating.

Rick was born in Rockville Centre, Nassau County, Long Island, New York, on May 3, 1952. He grew up in Port Washington and Huntington, N.Y., attended Walt Whitman High School until joining the US Navy at age eighteen. Rick served aboard the USS Nitro (AE-23)—an ammunition ship carrying supplies to Vietnam. As a plumbers' apprentice, he became interested in pipes. His term: 3 years, 10 months; he received an honorable discharge with a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Rick expressed a special devotion to Saint Peter, possibly remembering his first church: St. Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington, New York.

After serving in the Navy, Rick went to work for Ozark Air Lines as a customer service agent, working in operations, ramp service, and ticket counter in Indianapolis, New York's LaGuardia, and Denver airports. Eventually, Ozark became TWA and, in turn, American Airlines. Rick Hegeman always enjoyed the camaraderie of coworkers. He generously shared his knowledge of the workplace, training and advising his work buddies; he often said they were his better friends. Rick volunteered to perform union work and attained various officer positions, including local DEN vice president, and shop steward as a 30-year member of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) at three airports. Some of Rick's hobbies--taking pictures, reading, travel, sports and his love for car racing turned into another vocation: free lance photographer. He took his 35mm camera to Indianapolis, Daytona, Fort Worth and other notable raceways. He retired from American Airlines in 2004. His customer service career was extended at the HomeAdvisor (Service Magic) call center in Golden, Colorado, where he met many of his more recent good friends. Rick treasured his friends, even thinking of them when he summed up his prognosis on Facebook from his hospital bed.

Rick is survived by older brothers Bill (Carmen) and Dan (Lynn), several nieces and nephews and other family members; Bill and Dan were present when Rick was in the Denver Hospice where he died on Sunday night.

Rick is preceded in death by his brother of recent fond memory: Clayton Christopher "Clay" Kuegler (Kathy) of Hayden, Colorado; parents: W. Davis Hegeman and Lorene Edna Clayton; and, his grandparents: Howard Clinton Hegeman of Glen Head, N.Y. and Grace Livingston Davis of Port Washington, N.Y.; Loren Clayton of southern Illinois and Love "Mud" Smith of western Kentucky.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to the charity of one's choice. To send condolences or leave a special message for the family please visit www.NewcomerDenver.com

The family of Rick Hegeman wishes to thank the caring professional staff at both the Denver Hospice and North Suburban Medical Center. Words cannot reflect the gratitude that family members hold for the medical professionals who were so kind to our beloved Rick.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3:16)


To share a memory of Rick or leave a special condolence message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.