Obituary of Robert Heeks

Robert E. Heeks Canandaigua, NY Dr. Robert Eugene Heeks, age 82, of Canandaigua, beloved husband of 55 years to Shirley Heeks, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on September 15th, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Disease. He is survived by, his children Leslie Stoltz, Bob (Kathleen), Mark (Sue), Kathy (Kevin) Murphy and Liz (Jim) Lowe, eight grandchildren, brothers George and David, sister Mary and his predeceased brother Jack. Bob grew up in Rochester and graduated from Charlotte High School in 1948. He attended the University of Rochester and graduated in 1952 with a BA in Chemistry. At that time he was also a Naval Reservist. Bob was the first recipient of a PhD from the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1957. He was also elected to Sigma Xi following the receipt of his PhD. While at the U of R Bob met Shirley Stam, a U of R coed and they were married in 1955. After receiving his PhD, Bob joined the Haloid Company and became manager of the Photographic Research Laboratory. After Haloid became Xerox, Bob assumed responsibility for manufacturing engineering of all aspects of photoreceptor production. He was responsible for taking these innovations from the product development departments and making them manufacturable. By the early 1980’s selenium alloy photoreceptors began to be replaced by organic belt photoreceptors. At this time Bob assumed a leading role in setting up belt coating operations at the organic photoreceptor plant in Oklahoma City. Bob contributed most of his professional career to furthering the development and distribution through worldwide sales support of Xerox products. Following an early retirement he returned to Xerox to supervise chemical cleanup activities in Webster and after 40 years of service, seven patents and numerous publications, Bob finally retired to his and Shirley’s home on Canandaigua Lake. Outside of his family Bob’s biggest passion was sailing. Bob raced Star boats, a Holiday Sloop, and a Catalina for 40 years on Canandaigua Lake while serving two terms as chairman of the board on the Canandaigua Yacht Club Board of Governors and several terms as the membership chairman. Friends may greet the family at Fuller Funeral Home, Inc. 190 Buffalo St. Canandaigua, Sunday September 19 from 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 pm. A 1:00 am funeral mass will be held Monday September 20 at St. Mary’s Church, 95 N. Main St. Canandaigua. A graveside service will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox foundation for Parkinson’s, attn: Tribute Gifts Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780, in care of Robert Heeks.