Community stalwart

Jake Heckathorn has worked for more than six decades supporting his community as a donor and volunteer.

North Valley Hospital and the Whitefish Community Library have been the primary beneficiaries of his and his wife Connie's generosity.

He has volunteered for North Valley Hospital for more than 50 years, and served on its board of directors and North Valley Hospital Foundation board. He was a key player in the fundraising efforts for the new hospital.

The Heckathorns have spent decades volunteering for the library, including everything from covering books to hosting library volunteer events. They helped plan for, fundraise for, and implement the construction of the downtown library. They have purchased thousands of dollars of books, material and assets for the library, which includes a special emphasis on children's books.

The North Valley Hospital Foundation recently honored Jake Heckathorn for his efforts with a lifetime achievement award. Alan Satterlee, executive director of the North Valley Hospital Foundation, presented Heckathorn with the award.

“When people come into town they think about what a nice hospital and library we have, they don't think about all the work that went into that hospital and library,” Satterlee said. “This is your legacy.”

“On behalf of the citizens of Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Eureka, and all towns that get care from North Valley Hospital, we give our thanks for your efforts,” he added. “I know how you and Connie have worked tirelessly on behalf of the community.”

Surrounded by a group of family and friends at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls where he now resides, Heckathorn humbly accepted the award.

“I really appreciate this,” Heckathorn said. “More than the award itself — the feeling and love of the folks of the area and North Valley Hospital. I've gotten more from the hospital than I have received.”

Heckathorn was born and raised in Wolf Creek. He attended law school at the University of Montana in Missoula, and moved to Whitefish in 1954 with his wife, Connie. They have two children, a son who is deceased, and one daughter. He is a retired lieutenant colonel with the Army Reserve and was an active member of the Montana Bar Association.

He spent more than 50 years as a trial attorney in Montana before he retired at age 80 in 2004 to be more active in community affairs. He has a passion for cooking and a love of fly fishing and hunting.

The library was always more of Connie's focus, but he supported her in all of her efforts, including donating their time and support to make the Whitefish library independent of the county library system.

Over the years, Heckathorn was a Whitefish Rotarian and a member of the Jaycees, and he served as the second Prime Minister of the Whitefish Winter Carnival. For several years, Heckathorn was the author of a column in the Pilot focusing on honoring the volunteers who do so much for Whitefish.

In honor of the Heckathorns decades of supporting the library, in 2011 the library dedicated its meeting room to them and renaming it the “Jake and Connie Heckathorn Room.”

In 2003, Jake was awarded the Planetree Spirit of Caring Award. In 2014, North Valley Hospital named him as its Planetree Spirit of Community award winner. The award was also renamed the Jake Heckathorn Spirit of Community Award in his honor.

That same year, the Heckathorns were honored by Mayor John Muhlfeld in his annual “Extra Mile” Day proclamation for their contribution to the Whitefish Community Library.