Justin Thomas Heck

Justin Thomas Heck, 47, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away September 13, 2022, in Fayetteville, Arkansas of heart issues.  Justin was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas on February 9, 1975.  He graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1994 and went on to earn a degree in electronics engineering.  He worked for Dillard’s and Heck Roofing Company in the late 1990’s while living in North Little Rock.  He later moved to Arkadelphia where he had a 16 year career as a machinist at Kuntz & Company building high performance race engines, for some of the best race teams around the world and even for a Saudi Prince.  He loved building race engines and really knew the craft; he could nearly build a spec for a race engine in his sleep.  Justin was a Ford man his entire life.  He loved his early 1970’s Bronco, his F150 pickup and would often razz you if you drove something else.  In recent years, Justin moved to Fayetteville to be closer to family and worked at Rcal Productions in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.   He loved his work there and made many new friends while employed there.

Justin grew up attending of Levy Baptist Church and gave his life to Jesus at a young age.  He was a member of Central Baptist Church while living in central Arkansas and attended New Heights Church in Fayetteville.  He had a deep faith in the Lord and studied the Bible.

Justin had many loves in his life including his family, playing the tuba in the high school band, playing board and card games with friends, playing billiards and just sitting around telling stories and laughing… and if you let him, he would often talk your ear off.  He was known to many as “JT”, “Dad”, “Uncle Justin” and “Slim Jim”.  He had a beaming smile, a hearty laugh and a sense of humor that would make you laugh or roll your eyes.

He raised Emelia as his daughter and loved her dearly.  They faced many challenges together and had to grow through them over the years but he was always there for her and never stopped caring about her.  As she described him, “He had the biggest heart I’ve ever known and will always be my dad”.

He loved talking on his CB radio and connecting with others.   He learned to build high powered CB radios with amplifiers that could “talk skip” across the country and often could talk across your microwave oven while driving down your street.   He just had that personality where he never met a stranger.  He had friends across the globe and would often talk for days about CB’s and all the different people he had met. He and a friend even had a youtube channel called Hawg Yard Productions devoted to such.

Justin lived out defending conservative ideals, was a critical thinker and would willingly debate anyone on current political issues, and often did.  He tirelessly researched counter-normative and propaganda theories and could identify agendas driven by politics; even correctly identifying many of the issues of the day that were recently promoted as conspiracies.  

Justin’s heart was huge. He loved his country and fellow man and would be there for you when you needed him.  He was an incredible loving son, brother, cousin, father, uncle and friend.  We will all miss him.

Justin is preceded in death by his father, Ray C. Heck, Sr and his grandparents Thelma and Earl Paul, Wilma (Pitcock) Shafer and Hans Heck.

He is survived by his mother, Patricia Heck, his step-daughter Emelia Adams, brother Ray C. Heck, Jr and sister-in-law Linda Heck, nieces, Raven Heninger, Rayce Heck, Katelin Faler and nephew Eric Faler; brother Paul Heck and sister-in-law Amy Heck, nephews Jackson, Walker and Chance Heck; a beloved group of cousins, aunts and uncles, and his dog Shadow.

Justin is also survived by a family of loving friends that will miss him dearly and treasure every single memory.  We’ll see you in heaven JT!

A gathering of remembrance will be held in Fayetteville on Sunday, September 18, 2022 from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at 3417 Waterstone Drive for family and friends in NWA.

A visitation will be held in North Little Rock on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 from 11:00 am-1:00 pm at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home at 1921 Main Street for friends and family.   A graveside service will be held at Edgewood Memorial Park cemetery in North Little Rock on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 1:30 pm.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-758-1170.--