Frederick Joseph Heyer

Frederick Joseph Heyer passed away in hospice care at Canterbury Towers Health Center, Tampa, Florida on April 5, 2020. He died of complications of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. He was known to his family and friends as “Fred” and as “Papa” to his grandchildren. Born in New York City, on March 18, 1941, he attended Catholic schools, graduating from St. Anne’s Academy and Fordham University where he was enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program. He served his country for twenty-two years as an officer in the United States Air Force. He was a Strategic Air Command Minuteman Missile Officer for many of those years in South Dakota and Wyoming. In Turkey and Germany he was involved in weapons control and inspections for USAFE headquarters. He graduated from the Air Command and Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and Squadron Officer School. Upon retiring he worked for United Airlines in Virginia. In various locations he was a volunteer for Big Brother, the Boy Scouts, Meals on Wheels, the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport and Friends of Music at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.

After 29 years in Fairfax, Virginia, in April 2016 Fred moved with his wife Alice to Canterbury Towers, Tampa, Florida, to be nearer to their son and grandchildren. Fred had a lifelong interest in collecting stamps and coins. An avid traveler, he also enjoyed cooking, art, opera, chocolate and gardening. When caring for vacationing friends gardens, upon their return, they all said their yards and flowers looked better than when they left. He loved caring for and traveling with his 3 grandchildren. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Alice; their beloved son, Scott, grandchildren, Brooke, Blake and Reed; sister-in-law, Mary Damas (George) of San Diego; cousin, Loretta Reidy (Richard) of Spring Valley, NY; their 3 children Jamie, Patrick and Anne Marie. He is preceded in death by his mother, Hedwig Seidler and his father, Frederick Heyer. The family is deeply grateful to Denise Wilim and the staff at Arden Courts of Tampa and to Joyce Mitchell and the staff at Canterbury Tower Health Center. Their kind and thoughtful care for Fred is forever etched in our memories.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 7th at 11am at Blount Curry Macdill, 605 S. Macdill Ave, Tampa FL. Fred''s family will receive guests at 1030am. A luncheon reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Fred’s memory to USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center Research Institute, 4001 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 or The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, FDR Station, PO Box 220 New York, NY, 10150.