Hi, I’m Sheryl Hecke, Mayor of Heavener. Before being elected as Mayor, I have never ran for any public office. I didn’t even run for class president in high school. If you’ve ever met me, you’ve noticed the northern accent. I’m referred to around here as “the locksmith’s wife” or “the Yankee.” I earned this accent being raised in Wisconsin my whole life. So why did we move to Heavener, Oklahoma in the first place. Have you ever visited states in the north during winter? Most people will not do it often! The emphasis is on cold, snow, and colder!
I was born in Kenosha Wisconsin in 1959. My parents are Patricia & Ernie Sullivan. My background is in Human Resources, which means I spent twenty five years interviewing and hiring people for employment. I have two daughters, Jessica 30, she’s the one with the secret knowledge of computers and two college degrees to prove it. She has been involved with Boxer dog rescue for the past seven years. She prefers the company of animals first, then people. Then there’s Erica, 28. She’s the reason I color my hair. My Erica has her degree in Police Science, and decided to join the United States Army, she leaves for the Middle East this year. There is not enough hair coloring for that!
This brings me to the man of my life, Mike. We married six years ago, on Valentines Day (so he wouldn’t forget anniversaries). We own and operate Covert Locksmith here in Heavener. Lock yourself out of anything, he’s your man! Being married to Mike is like having your very own MacGyver. He can fix anything with a matchbook and a hatpin! He has the patience of a pre-K school teacher!
When my husband and I decided we would start searching for warmer climate. It took us about six months of phone calls, realtors, internet wandering and a HUGE truck. It was 109 degrees that August day, and I was questioning my sanity of this move. How were we going to unload that truck in that heat? Here they came, two men we had never met before. They were bringing boxes in so fast I couldn’t keep up. It’s a shame, we never saw them again. Our house had been empty about a year, grass past your knees. Then here came this sweet lady and her husband to the rescue, I didn’t know at the time that Dale & Elizabeth Goodier would become our dearest friends.
In order to educate myself in my new surroundings, I started venturing out on my own. One of the first places I started was City Hall. I started attending council meetings twice a month. I was a bit surprised by how few residents attended these sessions. I did however know, the very day that Heavener became MY town. I usually sat in council meetings and didn’t speak, just listened. The day came, I needed their help. With a cracked voice I asked the board “who do I talk to about …” The City Manager said “you just have. We’ll get it looked at.” I was hooked! I was part of this city! I had a problem on my street and they were going to help! I was home! My husband and I are so proud that we live here. We have friends that money can’t buy. In the past four years we have seen new sewers, a new water tower, new homes and a beautiful library, and much more. Who doesn’t want to be part of that! I want our city to keep getting better. I want to hear your ideas, please feel free to contact me at (918) 721-9281.