Kenneth Hecht

With a heavy heart, the family of Kenneth Hecht, 80, of Indianapolis, Ind., shares that he passed away on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. Ken, born on May 1, 1938 in Bronx, NY to the late Murray, z”l, and Fanny (Hochman), z”l, Hecht, was a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School at the age of 16. Following his father’s musical talents on the violin, Ken studied music and classical piano from the age of 3 and was certainly considered a child prodigy having reached the heights of performing at Carnegie Hall as a teenager.

Though he continued his deep love of symphonic music and playing the piano throughout the rest of his life, a twist of fate diverted Ken from a musical career. He went on to study chemistry at City College of New York, and subsequently received his Master’s Degree from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. in bio chemistry.

After returning to New York to pursue a medical degree, fate led him to meet his soulmate, Rona Cooper, z”l, also of the Bronx, at a music concert at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. They soon married in August of 1963 and lived the most loving and happy life, while raising their two children in a traditional Jewish home.

Positions in product development and management with various companies in the pharmaceutical industry led Ken, his bride, and their young family to New Jersey, southern California and Massachusetts before arriving back in Indiana (Indianapolis) in 1976 for a position with Bio Dynamics (later Boeringer Mannheim and Roche Diagnostics). Retiring from that industry and not wanting to uproot their family again, Ken and Rona ventured into business together, opening one the first quick print shops in the area. Later calling it KenRo Printing, for nearly 20 years, Ken handled sales and Rona managed the shop, till her illness forced its closing shortly before her passing in 2001.

Meanwhile, their deep-rooted love for Judaism led Ken and Rona to join a small group of other Jewish families in 1992 in forming a new Conservative synagogue, Congregation Shaarey Tefilla. Ken would later serve as its fourth president and Rona led the sisterhood and kosher kitchen. Ken would later also chant and lead Sabbath morning services.

Ken was blessed to fall in love and marry again in 2003 to another transplanted New Yorker, Karen (Roger) Hecht, z”l, who preceded him in death just three months ago. Ken is survived by his children, Stacey P. (Charles) Bunes of Indianapolis and Adam M. (Jocelyn) Hecht of Highland Park, Illinois; grandchildren, Chava and Rivkah Bunes and Ryan and Evan Hecht; and his older sister, Susan Ebenstein of New Jersey. Ken was also close with and will be greatly missed by Karen’s son, Jason Glenn, as well as, his and Rona’s fellow Indiana transplant “brother and sister” Simon and Marilyn Shimberg, along with many friends of the Shaarey Tefilla congregational family.

Services and a celebration of Ken’s life will be held at 11:30am Sunday, June 3 at Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, 3085 W. 116th Street Carmel, IN 46032. In lieu of flowers and in memorial to Ken, contributions are requested to be made to Shaarey Tefilla and the Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis. Arrangements were entrusted to Flanner Buchanan-Carmel.