Heather Harkins Lord

Heather Harkins Lord passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on October 26, 2023 at 10:44pm, quietly telling her four kids and seventeen grandchildren once again that nothing good ever happens after midnight.

Heather was born in Warren, Ohio to Bert Harkins McGill and Virginia Koops McGill October 17th, 1936. Due to her father’s job, Heather moved around a great deal during her school years, from Cleveland to Indianapolis, to Tyler, Texas and finally Toronto. As always the new girl, she maintained a closeness to her family, and particularly her mother, that would last her whole life and that she would pass down to her own family.

Heather graduated high school from Havergal College in Toronto. She then attended Smith College where she graduated in 1958. Heather’s four years at Martha Wilson House at Smith college created friendships that lasted a lifetime and were foundational upon her return to Indianapolis after marriage. Over the next 60 years, Heather and her Smith friends continued a bi-annual tradition of meeting up across the country for laughter filled reunions.

As luck would have it, Heather’s constant moving had one silver lining. During her one year stay in Indianapolis at age 14, where she swam competitively at the Indianapolis Athletic Club, she met the boy who would become the love of her life, Thomas Lord. Despite moves across the country, a move to Canada, and a choice of an East Coast college 800 miles away from Tom’s choice of Indiana University, the love story of the Lord family’s life was solidified in New York City in 1956 dancing to Guy Lombardo at the Roosevelt Hotel at age 20, when Tom and Heather after not seeing each other for years, decided that they would get married.

Tom and Heather married in Toronto on June 13th, 1959. They settled in Indianapolis where Tom started his medical practice and Heather taught school. When Tom was drafted in the Army in 1966, they spent two wonderful years in Colorado Springs living on the grounds of the Broadmoor Hotel. Upon returning, Heather built the family’s happy life in Indianapolis. Throughout, she gave her time to many organizations including The Smith Club of Indianapolis, The Dramatic Club, The Garden Club, The Junior League, and The Children’s Museum Guild. She and Tom were lifelong members of the St. Luke Catholic Church and members for over 50 Years of The Woodstock Country Club. As Tom grew his medical practice, Heather worked tirelessly behind the scenes managing all the bookkeeping and the office complex which they built together.

Heather had many hobbies and passions in her life. She loved gardening. You could often find her at her happiest and working out life’s problems while tending to her beautiful flowers outside. She could name almost every flower that existed and taught her grandchildren to say “hello to the flowers” along her walks with them in Pentwater, Michigan. Heather was also a wonderful amateur oil painting artist. She loved to paint and found great pleasure in painting the flowers she loved so much. Heather was a vociferous reader and enjoyed all types of books. She never would hesitate to pull out a book while attending a slow Indianapolis Colts Football game.

Of all her passions and loves, Heather’s greatest passion and where she put all of her energy was into her family and friends. Her kindness, warmth and love showed through in everything she did. She had an extraordinary ability to connect to all who she met, leaving with them the lasting impression of her warmth. Heather’s husband, children, and grandchildren were the loves of her life. There was never a moment she did not have time for a talk or walk with any of them. Never a call that went unanswered or a hug that wasn’t given back with more love. She never missed a birthday, made every holiday more magical than the last, and never missed a big event for her family. Her amazing laugh and ability to make people feel that they were the most important person to her, made her loved by so many.

Heather leaves behind: her husband of 64 years, Thomas J. Lord of Indianapolis; her son, Gregory T. Lord (Charleen) of Indianapolis; her daughter, Courtney Lord Schwab of Indianapolis; her son, Geoffrey G. Lord (Martha) of Denver, Colorado; and her daughter, Holyn Lord Koch (Jack) of Cleveland; seventeen grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; and her brother, Scott A. McGill of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She is predeceased by her parents Bert H. McGill and Virginia Koops McGill and brother Douglas “Tex” McGill who will welcome her into their loving arms.

Family and friends will gather on Monday from 9:30-11:30am at St. Luke Catholic Church with a Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 11:30am. For those who wish to make a contribution in memory of Heather Lord, donations can be sent to Alzheimer’s Association, St. Lukes Catholic Church or to share a personal memory of Heather, please visit www.leppertmortuary.com.

It is with heartfelt love and gratitude that we thank those that helped us care for our wife, mother and grandmother for the last 8 years. They filled her day with love, beauty, and laughter. Thank you Marybeth Lamberson, Stephanie Wynn, Latrice Martin, Donna Flowers and the staff at Marquette Manor.