Donald "Don" Clyde Heffley

It is with heavy hearts that we, the family of Donald (Don) Clyde Heffley, announce his passing at the age of 75. Don slipped away quietly while being surrounded by his family on January 31st, 2025, at Medicine Hat Hospital.

Don was born on March 30th, 1949, in Medicine Hat, Alberta. In his childhood years, he had spent some time growing up in Ralston, Alberta, where he was known as a very able-bodied swimmer. From his mid-teens until his passing, Don was a resident of Medicine Hat, Alberta. He was educated in the Public School System before participating in the local job market. He tried his hand at a variety of interesting and labour-intensive jobs, always keeping busy and never afraid of getting dirty. In addition to his many jobs, at the age of 16, Don joined the South Alberta Light Horse for a while and he often spoke fondly of his time in the militia, regularly recalling what a great experience it was driving a Sherman tank.

In 1972, Don was pursued by a persistent admirer. He thought he would save the heartache of this young woman by singing to her, (Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me). It didn’t work. Debbie pursued him more persistently than ever and secured his heart and hand in marriage in Bow Island, Alberta, on August 18th, 1973. While courting his future wife-to-be, Don landed a new career opportunity at Cliff’s Plumbing and Heating. Don initially enrolled in the plumbing trade, receiving an apprenticeship education in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Roughly a year later, he enrolled at SAIT and became a Sheet Metal Mechanic and also a person who was well-known and respected in his field. As a professional Sheet Metal Mechanic, Don applied his exceptional skills to several local companies including Cliff’s Plumbing and Heating, Nagel’s Metal and Pad-Car Mechanical, to name a few. The latter still displays the ten-foot-tall Tinman proudly built by Don. While establishing his career and home life, Don proudly added the word father to his family title. As a hard-working family man, Don had always felt proud that he helped his wife raise their children into the wonderful people they are today. He deeply loved his family, and there was nothing he would not do for them.

In 1998, Don opened his own business, A-1 Custom Sheet Metal. He ran this business for two years but discovered that being his own boss was not all that enjoyable for him. He then re-entered the trade as a sought-after employee and enjoyed working alongside his fellow tradesmen until his retirement in 2013.

Don is survived by:

His Loving Wife, Debbie Heffley

His Siblings, Cheryl (Bob) Rudolph and Ron Heffley

His Children, Michelle (Mike) Rae, Cindy Heffley and Chris (Stacey) Frisch

His Grandchildren, Robert Rae, Brooke (Brett) Rae, Emily (Aidan) Pisoni, Tyler Frisch and Samantha Frisch

And numerous nieces, nephews and In-laws

Don was preceded in death by:

His father and mother, Roy and Evelyn Heffley

His grandson, Nathan Fleckenstein

Aside from being a remarkable and caring family man, Don was very easy to befriend and generous with his time and loyalties to all. It was hard to feel sadness in the presence of Don because he had such an uplifting characteristic about him. Don was also a very talented handyman and a Jack of all trades. He could effortlessly construct or renovate the exterior or interior of any building, creating a stunning and sturdy structure. Don had a creative side as well. He enjoyed woodworking, building model ships, being artistic with LED’s and of course, metalwork. His creations, fire pits and tinmen are standing monuments to a talented craftsman. When it was time to get away for a while, he really enjoyed travelling with his loving wife, camping with friends and family and relaxing in a boat with a line in the water and a beer in his hand.

Don will truly be missed by all of those who knew him. There is now a void in our lives that, thankfully, will be filled with years of wonderful memories.

No formal service will be held.

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