For the first time since Lakewood became a city in 1969, John Heckman won’t be running for mayor.
The perennial candidate – who also ran for local, state and federal offices – died July 16 at the age of 99.
Heckman spent years trying to build his own political party – Concerns of the People – based on the Ten Commandments. He also started his own church, the Church of Practical Reality.
“He was a character,” said Lakewood Mayor Steve Burkholder, who squared off twice against Heckman.
Heckman didn’t spend much money on campaigns. He was known to hand out million-dollar bills with his picture on one side and a white sticker bearing the label of whatever candidacy he was pursuing.
The race he came the closest to winning was his first, when he lost the Lakewood mayor’s office in 1969 by just 700 votes.
In 2004, Heckman lost the U.S. Senate race to Ken Salazar. His latest political foray was as a write-in candidate in the 7th Congressional District race last year.
He said not enough people participated in city affairs and he proposed in the last mayoral election to keep regular office hours every day except Saturday.
“We need to open the city of Lakewood to the citizenry,” Heckman said. “We must run the city in accordance to what they want.”
Heckman also believed in returning America to “her moral rights and good rock-bottom foundation.” He advocated cradle-to-grave health coverage, four free years of college for every child and gun registration.
Heckman received his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago in 1947. He was a real estate broker.
His wife of 72 years, Bernice, and his daughter, Jean Bates, preceded him in death. He is survived by his son, James Heckman of Chicago, who shared the 2000 Nobel Prize for economics.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
