In loving memory of
Roger Kent Heape

• May 25, 1940
• -
• September 19, 2024

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Roger Kent Heape, 84, of Fort Myers, FL passed away on September 19, 2024. Roger was born on May 25, 1940, in Pinckneyville, Illinois to parents Roy and Freda (Trefftzs) Heape. He graduated from East St. Louis Senior High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Southern Illinois University. He served in the United States Army as an M.P. at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. After a short time teaching high school history, he began a lengthy career with Psychological Associates in St. Louis, retiring as Vice President of program development and instructor of People Skills Program.

Roger and his wife of 55 years, Linda, enjoyed travelling with family and friends. He was a great amateur photographer and took thousands of pictures. He also loved to write. Material from his Doctoral Thesis was used by James Mitchner in his bestselling book, Centennial, and he wrote a genealogy about the Heape Family and was in the process of compiling a book about Southern Illinois High School Basketball. In his down time, he enjoyed fishing, and in 1991, he and Linda caught the record brown trout (24.95 lbs. – 35.5 ins. long) for the state of Missouri.

He is survived by his brother, Byron (Marti) Heape of Fort Myers, FL; nieces, Stacey (Kevin) Hofert of Northlake, TX and Carrie Heape of Fort Lauderdale, FL; sister-in-law, Debbie Bunse of Las Vegas, NV; and brother-in-law, David Maxwell of Belleville, IL, as well as many other loving friends and family members. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, his parents, Roy and Freda Heape, and sisters, Carol (Forrest) Gall of Springfield, OH, and Sue (Edwin) Clayton of Belleville, IL.

An interment and military service is scheduled for Monday, October 14, 2024, at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.