Roll Call Tribute

Brian Eugene Heckman 

November 6, 1945 - January 10, 2026 

Brian “Tinker” Eugene Heckman was born on November 6, 1945, in Denver, Colorado, and died peacefully on January 10, 2026, in Denver, surrounded by his immediate family. His life was shaped by adventure, curiosity, and focus—and by a deep commitment to learning, service, and family.

Brian spent his early years near Houston, Texas, and graduated from Aldine High School. During these formative years, he lived on the Rockin’ R Ranch near Humble, Texas, where he helped his father (“Pop”), mother (“Honey”), and brother (Donnie) operate a guest ranch. It was hard work to keep the ranch open for horseback riding, small amusement park rides, dancing, lake activities, and memorable BBQ meals. These experiences reinforced his lifelong appreciation for physical labor, self-reliance, and the outdoors. It was also during these years that he developed an early love of aviation. So fervent was his interest in flying that he earned his private pilot’s license while still in high school.

With flying and the NASA space program in his dreams, Brian joined the illustrious Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, where he majored in meteorology. During his final year, he went on a blind date in Austin and met the love of his life, Ann Huddleston, who was attending the University of Texas. They married after graduation, beginning a fifty-seven-year adventure that took them around the world.

As an Air Force officer, Brian served as a C-130 pilot in Weather Reconnaissance missions while based in Guam and Thailand during the Vietnam War. He strategically chose flying squadrons that allowed Ann to join him. For nearly three years, they lived far from home and collected stories and experiences that shaped their lives for the next fifty-plus years. Brian later retired from the Air Force after a career that included both active duty and Reserve service.

Following his military aviation career, Brian worked in civil service as a meteorologist, including roles with the National Weather Service in Kansas City and Denver, as well as the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. Weather was more than a profession for him; it was a lifelong passion. He loved forecasting, cloud-watching, climate research, careful observation, and maintaining home weather stations.

In a later chapter of his career, Brian turned to teaching and nonprofit work. He earned an Ed.D. in educational technology and distance learning to prepare for this work and taught at several institutions, including the U.S. Air Force Academy, Metropolitan State University, and the University of Colorado Denver. He also led the AirFair nonprofit organization, a K–12 education group focused on aviation, and volunteered with the Small Wooden Boat nonprofit and the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle.

Brian loved the mountains, especially the home he and Ann lived in between Granby and Tabernash, Colorado, where, along with their three boys, they raised dogs, horses, rabbits, cats—and even a ferret. For nearly forty-five years, he took great satisfaction in the work that came with mountain life: cutting firewood, plowing snow, heating with wood stoves, building fences, planting trees, and caring for the land. Long before energy efficiency became mainstream, he renovated their log cabin to take advantage of passive solar design and solar panels, guided by scientific curiosity and environmental conviction.

It was in this mountain home that Brian and Ann raised their sons and became part of a close-knit community, with friends from Winter Park to Granby to Grand Lake—and all the gravel roads in between. They were deeply involved in community organizations, the local school district (Brian even taught high school science for a year), and youth sports, especially the Winter Park Competition Center and the high school ski racing program. Some of Brian’s favorite moments were skiing at the YMCA of the Rockies Nordic Center or snowshoeing through the woods and draws on Ninemile Mountain. Although Brian lived and traveled all over the world, Ninemile Mountain was always home.

A scientist at heart, Brian was an avid reader of history and biography. He enjoyed caring for mountain wildlife—maintaining numerous bird feeders and salt licks for visiting deer and elk—and sharing the rhythms of outdoor life with others. He introduced his family to skiing, backpacking, and especially sailing. Some of his fondest memories were bare-boating around the British Virgin Islands, teaching his family how to steer on a broad reach, tie off a dinghy (or cut one loose), and anchor safely in beautiful bays.

Brian supported his sons in countless practical, hands-on ways: coaching softball teams, marking ski-jumping distances, preparing for barrel racing at the rodeo, and serving as a gatekeeper at ski races. He encouraged them to pursue excellence while never losing sight of those who supported that success. He often reminded them to think in terms of “a means to an end,” to take the long view, and to consider how their work and choices contributed to something larger than themselves. Service to others and responsibility to society were values he lived and passed on deliberately.

Brian took his final breaths while listening to John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” a beautifully poignant farewell fitting for a husband, father, aviator, and Colorado native.

Brian is survived by his wife, Ann Heckman; his sons: Doug Heckman (wife Jenn Ladino; children Evan and Elliott), Ryan Heckman (wife Nadia Virani; children Chase and Reese), and Eric Heckman (wife Erin; children Bennett and Cooper); and his brother, Donnie Heckman (wife Barbara).

The family extends deep gratitude to the caregivers and staff at Rosemark at Mayfair Park, whose compassion, professionalism, and empathy provided comfort not only to Brian, but to his entire family during his final days.

Those who wish to honor Brian’s life and legacy may consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, helping advance care and research for families facing Alzheimer’s.