Heather Dawn LaMaster

A place to Remember her.

A place to celebrate what she brought to us.

A place to mourn her untimely departure.

A place to smile at what she has left in our minds and hearts.

Heather joined us on St Patrick's Day, 1986, in Edison, NJ, thereby becoming the daughter of Pete & Kathy LaMaster and the younger sister of Kelly LaMaster. She exited the world while driving home in Jacksonville, Florida in her green (she was always our leprechaun) Aerio on Friday afternoon, August 25, 2006 when a heavy rainstorm caused an oncoming pickup truck to lose control.

Between those 2 events, she left a legacy of memories. Heather was a very empathetic person - feeling other peoples' feelings and always wanting to help. She moved with her family to Melbourne, Florida in 1992 and graduated from Indialantic Elementary, Hoover Middle School, and Melbourne High School. Planning a career in Nursing, she entered the University of North Florida and met her roommate, Brittany Copeman. They shared a dorm for one year, an apartment for the next, and had just moved into a house in preparation for their 3rd year. In the process, Heather confirmed her dislike of math and science, so she switched majors - studying toward a Psychology Degree, finishing her AS in May. She was preparing to begin classes again as a Junior - and was considering switching majors to being an interpreter for American Sign Language since she had been taking ASL since Middle School. She was very active in the American Cancer Society and its Relay for Life - in Jacksonville, Melbourne, and Port St Lucie.

Other interests and activities included:

Drama - Heather "found herself" on the stage at Melbourne High School and the friends she made there. She also inherited her father's personality and sometimes wore a T-shirt that warned us all that she was, indeed, a "Drama Queen" - sometimes making a "production" out of life's incidents.

Yearbook: Heather was very active in the production of Melbourne High School's Yearbook - working up to Editor-in-Chief for her Senior Year.

Irish Step Dancing - "Riverdance" increased Heather's interest in the sport and she took lessons and competed for awards at the meets (Feis's prounounced "Fesh").

Church: Heather had just been accepted as a member of the Coventry Presbyterian Church in Palm Bay and found strength and value in her spirituality.

Blood Donations: She donated regularly and went out of her way to make appointments

Things Irish: She hated the taste of Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Potatoes, but she was still always the leprechaun and she spent the month of June in Dublin taking classes at the American University there - and discovering Irish Pubs as well. That was her 3rd visit to Ireland and she finally got to kiss the Blarney stone on that visit.

People-to-People Student Ambassador: Two "tours" - the first to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, the second to France, Switzerland, and Spain - touring and living with European families.

Disney: The family spent much of Heather's "formative years" at Disney World - visiting often. Heather never liked the "thrill rides": roller coasters and falling rides, so she tended to ride the tamer ones with her Dad while her Mom & Sister did the scarey ones. She DID have the stomach to love the teacups at Disney - spinning round and round. She also really hated fireworks because of the noise - always having her hands over her ears for any loud "bangs".

Superman, "Friends", "CSI", "Bones", "Will & Grace" - and Wendy's Bacon Cheeseburgers ("A number 4 combo, please, No Tomato, No Onion, Dr Pepper and fries").

"Crocodile Hunter": Yes. Heather loved Steve Irwin and his "Dainger Dainger Dainger". Perhaps somebody needed them both to be in the same place...

Heather always had a cute, mischevious grin and enjoyed being her own self.

She is survived by her Manx cat named Hermione, her family, and her fiance, Jason Gregory.

Heather continues to be represented by the "Heather Helper" fund at "Personal Image" - a wonderful family who helps women rebuild their self-image and their self-respect after cancer surgery. Contributions are put to very-good use - helping women who can't afford the wigs, cosmetics, prosthetics, and reconstructions. They are at 1905 N. Maize Rd, Wichita, KS, 67212, (316) 260-8260.