Article Contributed on: 12/3/2008 2:55:01 PM
A crisp breeze blew over the lake at O'Kane Park as residents of the neighborhood gathered in the darkness Dec. 2 to dedicate a bench in honor of prominent member of the Lakewood community,
Ed Heckle.
"You can tell he is missed," said council member
Debbie Koop, glancing at the crowd of about 120 people. Heckle recently passed away from cancer.
The bench sits at the edge of the lake, overlooking the water, which Heckle would have loved, said his wife,
Barb.
"It is just beautiful," she said.
Heckle helped form the O'Kane Park Neighborhood Association and was one of founders of the Alameda Gateway Community Association. Heckle and Barb served as Grand Marshals for the 2007 Lakewood on Parade.
After the bench dedication, the crowd moved across the park for the annual O'Kane House holiday lighting ceremony, followed by carols, hot cocoa and cookies.
"This is really what Ed was all about. He would have loved this," said Lakewood Mayor
Bob Murphy, who attended the event and said a few word's in Heckle's honor. "He would have been leading the carols."
Murphy said when he first considered running for city council, he went to Heckle to talk it over.
"We talked a lot about neighborhoods, the importance of them," he said. "Ed has always been an inspiration."
Barb Heckle said her husband worked hard to pull the O'Kane neighborhood association together.
"It's a wonderful neighborhood," she said. "I think the association is what makes us strong."