Kenneth J. Heidemann

KENNETH J. HEIDEMANN Kenneth Joseph Heidemann, devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, and loyal friend, passed away on Friday, October 10, 2014 in Aurora, Colorado. Ken was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Joe Heidemann and Hilma Carlson. Ken lived with his parents in an apartment in Lucas Hunt Village where the carefree childhood of the 1950s included biking (every kid's mode of transportation), and sledding the slopes of Norwood Hills Country Club that was adjacent to the apartment complex. Ken attended Jefferson Elementary School, and was active in Boy Scouts and Little League baseball. Ken graduated from Normandy High School and the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in Administration of Justice. Ken's career spanned 35 years in law enforcement and security. He began his service as a police officer in St. Louis, Missouri. In June 1971, Ken was sworn in as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service. He protected presidents, heads of state, and foreign dignitaries, including a shah, an emperor and a pope. He traveled the world on many world-wide assignments, and especially enjoyed going to Russia with President Richard M. Nixon when the Soviet Union was just opening up to the West, and to Hawaii to protect Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Ken met Susan Checkett at her high school, Incarnate Word Academy, an all girls school in St. Louis that had recruited boys from Normandy High School to perform in the Spring Musical, ""The Fortune Teller."" They married in 1969 in the Old Cathedral in downtown St. Louis. In 1976 the family, now including sons Bret and Kurt, moved from St. Louis to Austin, Texas, where Ken was assigned to the Lady Bird Johnson protective detail. Lady Bird was the widow of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, and as his widow she received Secret Service protection. In 1979, Ken was transferred to the San Antonio Secret Service field office. Later, Ken accepted a position with Wedge International in private security, and the family moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1988, Ken began working for the Office of Personnel Management and then the Department of Energy, retiring as Branch Chief of Security Operations overseeing Rocky Flats Nuclear Facility. In retirement Ken passionately pursued playing golf. He served as President of the Heritage Eagle Bend Men's Golf Club and played on the H.E.B. Men's Inter-club Golf Team, as well as several weekly golf groups with his friends and neighbors. Tuesday evenings would find him playing poker at the H.E.B. Clubhouse. He was an early member of the H.E.B. Gun Club. He and Susan traveled the world over many years together including trips to England, Scotland, Western and Eastern Europe, Egypt, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, and Alaska. Ken is survived by his devoted wife, Susan and their loving family including: sons, Kurt, and Bret, Bret's wife, Galia, and grandsons, Conor, Braeden, Kenton, Grant and Trent, as well as family members, Betty, Donna, Chris, Kevin, Sandi, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends and neighbors in Heritage Eagle Bend. A Celebration of Life will be held at Heritage Eagle Bend Clubhouse at 23155 East Heritage Parkway, Aurora, CO 80016 on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. In addition, a luncheon will be held in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Favazza's Restaurant, 5201 Southwest Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63139, at 12:00 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. to heidemann@q.com. Ken will be remembered with love and will be forever in our hearts. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Ken's name to the Wounded Warriors Project, or charity of your choice.