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Jay – Anita Mary Heckbert, 83, of Jay, died Early Friday morning at her home with her loving family at her side. She was born in Mexico, July 1, 1939, a daughter of Elie Leo Roderigue and Laura Anna Touchette and received her education in Rumford schools.
In 1955, she worked at Livermore Shoe where she met the love of her life, Charles Heckbert, and they were married on May 10, 1958. She worked at Bates Mill and Phillips Element in Lewiston. They bought their first home in 1965 on Elliott Avenue in Lewiston, where they raised their four children.
Family was Anita’s number one priority and she cherished family gatherings, especially Christmas and Thanksgiving and cookouts at the family camp on Androscoggin Lake in Leeds, where she loved sitting by the campfire and rides on the party barge with her grandchildren. Anita was active with her family having cookouts, Lobster Bakes (which were her favorite), making feasts for all, fish frys, and playing cards. She also enjoyed motorcycling, snowmobiling, dancing, and was fond of her dogs, Ringo, Midnight, and Harley and her cats, To To and Butchy. She also was a collector of frogs.
Anita enjoyed going to get pedicures with her daughter, Sandra and looked forward to her yearly trip to North Conway with her daughter and two granddaughters for a weekend full of fun and Christmas shopping. Trips to old Orchard Beach, Cancun, and Florida were highlights, as well as a cruise to Alaska and to Connecticut to visit with her brother, Raymond and go to Mohegan Sun.
She was a beautiful, strong, positive, caring, loving, and an amazing wife, mother, and friend who loved her life and family! She was the glue that held them all together.
She is survived by her husband Charles of Jay; daughters, Sandra (Lonney) Swett and Tina Heckbert (Jerry Clark); sons, Leon (Tina) and Charles, Jr.; former daughter-in-law, Karen Humes; 7 grandchildren, Jenny, Angela and her husband, Eric, Amy, Kim and husband, Phil, Amanda, Heather, Crystal, and Nick; 11 great grandchildren, Preston, Tyler, Isaiah, Shyanne, Jace, Cote, Kelsey, Emelia, Adasyn, Norah, and Asher; 2 brothers, Raymond Roderick and Norman Roderigue and his wife, Suzie. She was predeceased by her sister, Theresa Champagne and her husband, Jean; and her brother, Robert Roderigue and his wife, Ivis; and Raymond’s partner, Bernie.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 pm at the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington. Relatives and friends are invited to call one hour prior to the services. Following services, the family will host a reception at the Lane-Dube Amvets, 111 Main Street, Jay from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. The family suggests that in keeping with Anita’s love of animals, memorial donations in her memory may be considered to the Franklin County Animal Shelter, 550 Industry Road, Farmington, ME 04938. Memories, a memorial video, and a more in-depth obituary may be shared in her Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com.