Alice Hecox

Alice and her son, Randy.

In loving memory of Randy Pete.

Randy was born Randy Reed Hecox at 8:29 a.m. – my breakfast baby I always said.
Randy had brown hair and green eyes.  We called him our child of love. Randy was born at Naperville, Illinois as his sister was two years later.  Randy was my number three son.  He was always a caring boy and shared everything with his baby sister;  baby Donna he called her.

He was a happy child and had lots of brothers and a sister to play with. Randy had a hard time in school .. he just could not get his phonics.  He was a good child, and loved to draw. He graduated in 1988 and the following February unbeknownst to me, ’till a few days before he was to leave for the service, him and his buddy joined the service together.  Randy went overseas to Germany and he loved it there.  When war broke out he was sent to the Saudi war on the front lines.  I prayed he would be alright but later I learned my boy was never to be the same after the Desert Storm war.  He came home a different man, but a man he was. I could not get him to talk about what happened over there.

Randy, while living with his dad a few years later, started taking the drug accutane.  He told me after he moved back home here in Missouri that the drug made kids want to commit suicide.  I asked him, “Why take it?”
He said, “Mom, it works.  I will always remember that talk with him, always.”  I should have done more to help him.

He also had an ex wife and child troubles as well.  Randy, I know felt he was between a rock and a hard place, I was there myself once.  He felt trapped and no way out of the mess.  I found Randy that day on July 23,1999.  He was going to fly to Texas to get his house stuff and his extra cars at his Dads.  I never dreamed my baby boy could do this. I knew he had a small hand gun he got in Germany, but don’t all boys have guns?  My
brothers all were raised with them, so I never thought much of it.
The police department kept it afterwards .. WHY?

I just want to say Randy was a good dancer and he was learning to play the drums by ear.  I love and miss you my Randy Pete.  This is a nickname his dad came up with and it stuck to him all his life.

Randy did leave a son Todd.  I never see Todd, but that’s another long story.  I will forever and a day remember my son.  There is a hole in my heart where his piece is missing.