February 28, 2025

Dr. Heckman was an entertaining professor at Etown.  He was flummoxed one afternoon after a faux pax that genuinely went over my head.  He hung his head low into Dr. Dively’s office to report his transgression.  That morning, I asked, “How can you tell whether or not the fruitflies are virgins?” He responded, “You can’t just by looking at them. Just like I can’t tell by looking at you whether or not you are a virgin.”  We put it on a t-shirt! I think of him whenever I see drosophilia flying about my kitchen! You were a good man, Dr. Heckman.  I will always remember your classes, your kindness, and your  chess game with Ben via correspondence.
Dawnmarie

August 05, 2020

Bob was a good man, a fine friend and colleague.  He will be missed.
Fred Hoffman, Professor Emeritus

July 30, 2020

Bob was an excellent teacher and mentor while I attended Elizabethtown College.  I worked on a special senior project with him, perfecting a way to isolate goldfish chromosomes.  Bob told me later this was the means for him to receive his Phd at Penn State.  I very much remember our deep discussions about topics in Biology and philosophy.  His friendship meant much to me!  He was a great man.
Paul E Brubaker MD

July 30, 2020

Rest in Peace dear friend and colleague!  We all miss you already, especially those jokes and bits of trivia that you picked up while listening to NPR!  It was a privilege and a pleasure to have wotked with you for these many years!  
Frank Peter Polanowski

July 27, 2020

Kathy and family, so sorry for your loss.  Prayers for you all. Wilma Spickler

July 26, 2020

Bob was a good friend and colleague in the Biology Department at Elizabethtown College. I met Bob through a mutual friend at Penn State in the late 1960s. We were both performing graduate research on trout. Bob was instrumental in my joining the Biology faculty at the college. Bob’s office and classroom were across the hall from mine. I probably heard Bob’s Genetic lectures 30 times over the years. His classes were lively, with frequent laughter as Bob told stories to hold students’ attention. He was an excellent professor. The Biology faculty frequently ate lunch together. Bob also told us stories and had questions for us to answer. Most were nonsensical, asked in a humorous manner. He kept us on our toes, and his stories were welcomed,always providing a bit of levity in our lives. I shall miss Bob, who was a good friend and valuable asset to the Biology Department for many years.
Jim Dively, Professor Emeritus of Biology

July 23, 2020

I learned much from Professor Heckman as a student at Elizabethtown College. I was his lab assistant for a year and he taught me how to process various organ tissues to make histology slides. In fact, he taught me so well, that I was able to teach my classmates how to make slides. I also greatly enjoyed our fruit fly experiments while learning Mendelian laws of genetics. I will miss Dr. Heckman and his wonderful humor, but I’m grateful for his influence on my academic life. Thank you, Kathy, for your love and devotion to Dr. Heckman all these years.
 
Gerald R. Baer MD