NSU Mourns Passing of Dr. William Heck

The Northeastern State University community today mourns the loss of Dr. William Heck, Professor of Criminal Justice, who passed away on Sunday from injuries sustained in a traffic accident. A memorial service is planned for Monday, May 12 at 11 a.m. in the NSU Center for Performing Arts on the Tahlequah campus.

During his 19 years at Northeastern, Dr. Heck influenced the lives of thousands of students, said Interim President Kim Cherry. He was well-known and highly respected throughout the law enforcement community and played a tremendous role in shaping the professional careers of officers throughout northeastern Oklahoma. The impact of his work with students will be felt for many years to come, and he will be greatly missed.

Dr. Heck came to NSU in August 1989 as an associate professor, and was promoted to full professor in 2003. Dr. Heck served in the U.S. Navy from 1973 to 1977, and worked as a deputy for the Ouachita Parish Sheriffs Department from 1977 to 1978 and a patrol officer for the Monroe, Louisiana Police Department from 1979 to 1985. He served as an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Criminal Justice at McNeese State University from 1987 to 1989.

He earned his bachelors and masters degrees from Northeast Louisiana University, and later completed his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in Texas in 1990.

The family of Dr. Heck has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made through the NSU Foundation to the Dr. William Pipes Heck Memorial Fund. Contact the NSU Foundation at 918-458-2143.

To share a memory of Dr. Heck, visit the Tulsa World website, www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080505_1__ANort51404

5/7/2008

Published: 2008-05-07 00:00:00