Arthur John Heidecke

Arthur John Heidecke, aged 92 and a long-time resident of Stoughton, WI, passed away in the presence of his family while in the care of Agrace Hospice at Skaalen Assisted Living on April 9, 2025. He was born at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL, on June 15, 1932, the fourth of five children and third son of Fred and Ann (Higgins) Heidecke.

He spent his formative years in Berwyn, IL, where he attended St. Mary of Celle Catholic Grade School. Growing up, young Arthur had a happy, free-spirited childhood. It defined the person he would become; one of boundless curiosity and creativity, inspired and energized by the world and people around him. Very early on, he discovered a life-long fascination with railroading. As steam gave way to diesel engine technology through the course of his childhood, he was awed by the transformation. So much so that as a young adult, he would make a career in railroading his life’s work.

While at St. Mary’s, Art became a Boy Scout, which spoke to his sense of adventure while also molding him in the discipline of scouting and his Catholic faith. The Boy Scouts became the focal point of his late childhood and adolescence. He eventually took to the rigors of Eagle Scouting, and arose to the many challenges that were required to earn him the rank of Eagle Scout. He learned survival and leadership skills through solo camping, fishing and hunting. As a result of his experiences, he respected and cared for the environment throughout his life.

An innate love of art prompted young Arthur to deeply explore many subjects through expository drawing and painting, for which he showed remarkable talent. He was intuitive and creative, a curious, life-long learner and adventurer. Following a stint in the US Army, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago where he studied life drawing and painting under the GI Bill.

Arthur proudly enlisted and served in the United States Army for three years from 1951 to 1953. While enlisted, he pursued officer’s training and was discharged in 1953, having earned a Purple Heart, and Bronze and Silver Stars; commendations for valor on the battlefield in Korea with the 23rd Infantry.

Upon his safe return home, Art was reinstated as an electrician apprentice at the Burlington Railroad, where he’d worked before entering the military. There, in the personnel department, he met his true love, Nora Margaret Monaghan of Lyons, IL. They dated briefly and were married on September 11, 1954.

During the early years of their marriage, Art and Nora had six children: four girls and two boys, including identical twin girls. They bought their first small home in Downers Grove, IL, in 1956, but soon needed to up-size to accommodate the fast-growing family. In 1960, they moved to a larger bungalow in Berwyn, IL, where they lived for fourteen years. In 1974, they bought and moved into their architecturally distinct dream home in Oak Park, IL.

Art enjoyed the fruit of his labors in Oak Park. With grown and near-grown children, he spent more time building O-gauge, HO-gauge and N-gauge model railroads. His N-gauge model railroad, of significant footprint and historical accuracy, was eventually purchased by the North Freedom, WI Mid-Continent Railway Museum. The model was designed and built using 90% recycled and repurposed materials. It remained on display at the museum for several years.

After retiring from the Burlington Northern railroad in 1989, Art continued to work several more years, in law enforcement and government security. After living for a brief time in Scottsdale, AZ, Arthur and Nora moved to Stoughton, WI in 1990 and lived in their home on Moe Circle until they moved to the Skaalen retirement community. Both were blessed to have long and productive lives. In his later years, Art took up serious birding and became something of an amateur ornithologist. He turned the Stoughton backyard into a delightful bird sanctuary where he faithfully studied and cared for his many “critters”, among them birds, squirrels, racoons, chipmunks and the occasional opossum.

Arthur lived well and was well-loved. We pray he’s reunited now, with Nora, who passed away on March 8, 2024. He will be profoundly missed by many, and is survived by his children, Marianne, Father Albert, Margaret, Barbara and Thomas Heidecke, as well as grandchildren, Jessica Hebert and Arthur and Erin Hebert-Ryan. Daughter, Nora Anne was deceased in 1999.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, friends may greet the family at 9:30am, service begins at 10:30am at St. Ann Catholic Church in Stoughton, WI.

Please share your memories of Arthur by posting in his Guestbook.

Cress Funeral Services

206 W. Prospect Street, PO Box 231, Stoughton

(608) 873-9244