Korey James Heck, 50, passed away Aug. 30, 2026, with his family by his side at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. He was born Sept. 13, 1975, at the Luverne Community Hospital.
Korey was the youngest of four children to Steve and Sandy (Hatting) Heck. Luverne would be his home his entire life.
Growing up, Korey enjoyed playing all sorts of games and sports with his siblings and the neighborhood kids, riding bikes all hours of the day, electric train sets and cars, and numerous other activities that the family’s big yard provided. In high school, he found happiness in learning about, and working on cars.
It was then also, Korey was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 17, which in many ways would shape his future.
After graduating from Luverne High School in 1994, Korey spent most of his working career at Ellison Meats in Pipestone.
He loved the work he did and the people he was surrounded by. The company’s employee discount on product was generous, so his family and friends were always well fed, which made him happy. He prided himself in his near perfect attendance during his many years there. In the late 1990s, Korey found a love for NASCAR.
His favorite driver at the time was Dale Earnhardt.
When Earnhardt died in a wreck in 2001, Dale Earnhardt Jr. became his guy on the track. On every Sunday during the race season, and the occasional Saturday night, you would not be able to get him away from his TV. He lived and breathed NASCAR.
The season opening Daytona 500 was the best day of the year for Korey. Because of that love for racing, Korey amassed a significant collection of NASCAR memorabilia, numerous die cast racecars, and hundreds, if not thousands of matchbox cars. His favorite car and collectible by far was the Chevy Camaro. He could tell you everything about each model year of the Camaro, and anything else related to it that a person might inquire on.
In 2008, due to complications from his diabetes, Korey had to have his left leg amputated. While he was later fitted for a prosthetic, being on his foot and prosthetic all day along with his diabetes created limitations, and he left his job at Ellison and “retired”.
Following this, Korey moved into The Blue Mound Towers, as it was much better suited for his needs. He found great joy in the friendships he developed over the years there with both the staff and the residents. He cherished them all deeply.
Always concerned with the needs of others, he took many opportunities to help others out in the building when in need. As his physical limitations progressed, he began spending most of his time on his two scooters. “Big Red” was by far his favorite of the two.
Korey personally customized both to add his own flare and conveniences. There were few days you would not see Korey cruising up and down the streets of Luverne, or to local establishments to do his shopping. On those cruises, he enjoyed stopping to meet new people, talking with those he knew, and just being out in the fresh air.
The scooters provided him his freedom. When a few late life health obstacles resulted in hospital and assisted living stays outside of Luverne, his scooters were the only thing he requested.
Korey was a very resourceful person, always finding a way to get things accomplished despite obstacles, or a challenge presented. Legend has it, there was a night many years ago when a local dining establishment ran out of drinking glasses. While the rest of his friends went thirsty, Korey devised a special chalice, one that only he would use, to continue enjoying his favorite beverage from. His fellow patrons were awestruck.
Korey loved to tell stories of the past, and crack a joke or two whenever the opportunity presented itself.
He had an uncanny ability of remembering the smallest details to many of the events of his and his family’s lives, whether they were significant or not. In the years after losing his leg, when asked how tall he was, he would tell people I used to be 6’ 2”, but now I am a foot shorter.
One of his favorite stories of childhood was the infamous 30-yard plunger toss, that resulted in him needing a new rim for his bike, him receiving road rash on his face, and his bother spending the rest of the day confined to his bedroom.
Throughout his life, Korey stared the difficulties of his diabetes in the face – he never let them get him down, he always found solutions to his challenges, and he was not going to let the disease define him. He lived his life the way he wanted to, and on his terms.
Korey is survived by his mother, Sandy Heck, Luverne; three siblings, Kimberly (Mike) Monmaney, Marshall, Minn.; Kristine Heck, Luverne; and Kirby (Wendy) Heck, Colorado Springs, Colo.; 10 nieces; three nephews; aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Steve Heck; and his grandparents, Clem and Margaret Hatting; and Bud and Pauline Heck.
Visitation was from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne.
A private family burial will be at a later date in the St. Catherine Cemetery.
