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Hester “Tad” Adams Heckler of Old Saybrook passed away on April 5 after a long and courageous battle with emphysema and COPD. Tad was born on May 15, 1929, to Harold Gillet Adams and Hester Gleason Adams and grew up in Essex, graduating from Pratt High School in 1946. Tad went on to attend Mitchell College and UConn at Avery Point before settling down to raise a family with George Heckler.

Tad was always interested in meeting new people and would often invite strangers into her home, as she did with missionaries when they knocked on the door at the family home in Barrie, Ontario, or when she asked people to stay with her when they visited, or if someone got stuck in Old Saybrook during bad weather. She always enjoyed taking road trips, touring historical sites, visiting her beloved Tryon, North Carolina, learning new things, doing crossword puzzles, or reading historical novels or books on spiritualist topics.

Tad also became obsessed with real estate after getting her license and working at the Nutmegger in Essex in the 1970’s. She loved envisioning changes in any home that she entered and sharing her ideas. While these interests never waned, she did turn her attention to her grandchildren as they arrived, spending time, sharing, and teaching them all sorts of things. Being a grandmother was her greatest achievement.

Tad was preceded in death by her husband George, and by her daughter Anne. She is survived by son Bruce Heckler, his wife Nancy, and son Andy of Old Saybrook, daughter Mary of Miami, and daughter Ellen Heckler O’Herlihy, her husband Michael, and daughter Kiernan of Old Saybrook. Tad also leaves her sister Terry Kuchyt and nephews Scott (Robin, Michael, and Kyle) and Jamie (Teresa and Martin), all of Higganum.

Burial will be private and there is no memorial service planned at this time.