Joseph E HECHLINSKI

20 DEC 1922 - 24 FEB 2004

• OCCUPATION: Dentist
  
• RESIDENCE: 1628 Kenmore
• BIRTH: 20 DEC 1922, South Bend, IN
• DEATH: 24 FEB 2004, South Bend, St Joseph, IN

• MARRIAGE: 22 JUN 1946, Holy Cross, South Bend, IN

1.  Ronald HECHLINSKI
2.  Bruce HECHLINSKI
3.  Mary Ellen HECHLINSKI
4.  Michael Joseph HECHLINSKI
5.  Donald HECHLINSKI
6.  Claudia HECHLINSKI

INDEX

[N9919] Obituary: Dr. Joseph E. Hecklinski Jr.
Dec. 20, 1922 -- Feb. 24, 2004

Dr. Joseph E. Hecklinski Jr., of South Bend, Ind., passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend.

Dr. Hecklinski was born on Dec. 20, 1922, in South Bend, to the late Joseph E. Sr. and Genevieve (Wlodarek) Hecklinski, and was a lifelong area resident.

On June 22, 1946, in Holy Cross Catholic Church, he married Lorraine Lewinski, who survives. Dr. Hecklinski is also survived by his two daughters, Claudia Hecklinski of South Bend and Mary Ellen (Scott) Mantooth of Tennessee; his four sons, Michael (Nancy) Hecklinski of Atlanta, Ga., Donald (Donna) Hecklinski of Birmingham, Ala., Ronald (Pam) Hecklinski of Anderson, Ind., and Bruce (Susan) Hecklinski of South Bend; 15 grandchildren, Randy, Jeffrey, Amy, Allison, Alan, Anne, Sarah, Jessica, Joseph, Kathryn, Stephanie, Ricky, Abigayle, Meghan and Madisson; and by four great-grandchildren, Riley, Jaclyn, Campbelle and Mike.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his twin brother, Dr. Ernest J. Hecklinski. Dr. Hecklinski had been in practice with his brother for 45 years before retiring in 1994.

He was a retired United States Naval lieutenant commander, a member of the American Dental Association, the St. Joseph County Dental Association, ROA, Knights of Columbus, and American Legion Pulaski Post #357. Dr. Hecklinski was a founding parishioner of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church where he coached basketball for 15 years, and was a member of the Ushers Club and the Retirees Club.

Visitation for Dr. Hecklinski will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today, Feb. 26, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend, where a parish Rosary will be recited at 5 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, St. Johns Way, South Bend, with burial to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, South Bend.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. John the Baptist Athletic Fund, 3616 St. Johns Way, South Bend, IN 46628.

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February 27, 2004

South Bend dentist who practiced with twin brother dies at 81

Tribune Staff Report

SOUTH BEND -- Dentist Joseph E. Hecklinski Jr., who practiced with his twin brother for three decades, died Tuesday in Memorial Hospital. He was 81.

Joseph and Ernest Hecklinski went to the same high school, university and dental school before opening a joint dental practice in 1955.

Both attended Indiana University on basketball scholarships and interrupted their academic careers to serve as Navy dental technicians in the South Pacific during World War II.

The twins later moved their practice to the Marycrest Building on Western Avenue, where they served thousands of local residents. Ernest died in 1990.

Their offices in Marycrest were mirror images, as one of the brothers was left-handed and the other right-handed.

Joseph Hecklinski, a retired lieutenant commander in the Navy, was a founding member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, where he coached basketball for 15 years.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, St. Johns Way, South Bend, with burial at St. Joseph Cemetery.