MEADE – Margaret Eleanor (Hickey) Heskett, at the age of 95, was called to her home in Heaven to reunite with loved ones who are waiting fro her. Her passing was September 4, 2007, at the Pioneer Manor in Hugoton, Kansas.

Margaret was born November 25, 1911, in Norwich, Kansas. She was the youngest of nine children born to Martha Lucinda (Neaville) and James Clinton Hickey.

In 1914, at the age of three, she moved with her parents, from Reno County, Kansas, in a covered wagon to a farm near Missler, Kansas, in Meade County, Kansas. She attended grade school in a one room schoolhouse in the Missler community, later attending Meade High School.

On July 18, 1936, she was united in marriage to William (Bill) Thomas Heskett in Meade. To this union five children were born, Willa (Lois), William Thomas (Tom), Jr., Alice Lou, James (Jim) Rex, and Dale Lee. On April 23, 1953, her husband was killed in an automobile accident leaving her a widow with five children to care for and support. To support her family, she worked in the dry cleaning business as a clothes presser. In 1965 after her youngest had graduated from high school she moved to Hutchinson, Kansas, continuing to work in a dry cleaning shop. She later worked for the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in the laundry to support herself. She retired at the age of seventy and moved to Gibbon, Nebraska, in 1981 to be near her daughter, Lois and family. She lived independently at Colony Acres Retirement Center for twenty-five years until a tragic car accident took the lives of Lois and Leland. Due to failing health and no longer able to live independently, she moved to Hugoton on March 8, 2006, residing at the Pioneer Manor until her death.

At a young age she joined the First Presbyterian Church, Meade, and became a member. When she moved to Gibbon, she attended the First Baptist Church, but never missed a chance in telling the ministers she was a Presbyterian.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; parents, Martha and James; son, Jim Heskett; daughter and son-in-law, Lois and Leland Dye; son-in-law, Bill Clifft; three grandchildren, Jeffery Scotty Dye, Jeanette Marie Dye, and Russell Duane Clifft; two sisters, Ethel and Julia; and six brothers, Dick, Ed, Loren, Henry, Glen, and Ray, along with their wives.

She is survived by her children, Tom Heskett and wife Vivian, Joplin, Missouri, Dale Heskett, and wife, Rhea, Rockwell, Texas, Alice Clifft and David Eastland, Hugoton, Kansas; twelve grandchildren, Bill Dye and wife, Deb, Canon City, Colorado, Cindy Dye, Gibbon, Nebraska, Tonya Garcia, Liberal, Kansas, Thomas Heskett, Hugoton, Kansas, Linda Holcomb and husband, Joe, Hugoton, Kansas, Kevin Clifft, Hugoton, Kansas, Beth (Leonard) Webster, Lakin, Kansas, Willie Heskett and wife, Penny, Liberal, Kansas, Randy Heskett and wife, Dee, Fairbanks, Alaska, Ralf Heskett and wife, Shelly, Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Dant Heskett and wife, Mellanie, West Valley, Utah, and Brice Heskett, Rockwall, Texas; twenty-three great-grandchildren; seventeen great-great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Virginia Jindra and husband, Bill, Kingfisher, Oklahoma; many nieces, nephews, and a host of friends, many old and many new she made in her time at the Pioneer Manor.

Crocheting was one of her favorite pastimes and was still making afghans for great-grandkids a the time of her death. She loved playing the piano and was self taught getting one for her 18th birthday. She also played the organ and harmonica. Other hobbies were playing pitch and pinochle. When living in Meade, she was an active member of the Rebekah Lodge.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 8, 2007, at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary Chapel, Meade, with the Reverend Shane Bowyer of the Hugoton Baptist Church presiding. Friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday, at the mortuary. Interment will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Meade.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Pioneer Manor or St. Catherine Hospice in care of the mortuary.