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Eleanor HEIDER Obituary

WILLIAMSBURG - Eleanor Westbrook Heider, born Nov. 30, 1925, passed away on July 16, 2010.
An accomplished athlete, musician, and gardener, Ellie completed her Bachelor of Science at the College of William and Mary in 1947, where she was awarded an athletic letter and played clarinet in the marching band. Constrained by the conventions of being a post WWII housewife, instead of pursuing medicine, she became a science teacher. She sponsored the first Earth Day at Woodward High School in Cincinnati a month after burying her husband. Later that year she returned to Williamsburg where she taught hundreds of students at Queens Lake Intermediate School and helped populate its grounds with trees, one Arbor Day at a time. She was honored as York County and Queens Lake Teacher of the Year in 1976-1977.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Mildred Westbrook; and her husband, C. William Heider.
She is survived by her children, William "Brook" Heider (Nina) and Elizabeth "Beth" Heider (Joel La Bissonniere); two grandsons, William "Brook" II and Daniel. Greeting her in Heaven are her beloved dogs, Mitzi, Mitzi II, Buttons, Duchess, Rascal, Val and Freckles, left behind is Blossom.
The funeral and interment will be held at the historic chapel at Hickory Neck Episcopal Church, 8300 Richmond Road, Toano, VA 23168, on Monday, July 26, at 11 a.m. A reception will follow immediately afterward at the church.
She expressly wished that in lieu of flowers remembrances be made to the Heritage Humane Society of Williamsburg, Hickory Neck Church or a charity of your choice. It would please her most if you were to think of her when encountering a particularly beautiful fallen leaf. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Press from Jul. 23 to Jul. 24, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
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3 Entries

July 31, 2010

Eleanor Heider was a wonderful, gracious lady that I found to be very calming when she was around. We taught together many years at Queens Lake Intermediate School. Her memory will always linger with me as a great lover of nature and animals. My sympathy and prayers are with the family.

Natalie R. Mallory
Leland, North Carolina

Dywana Saunders-Confroy

July 29, 2010

My Christmas fudge was always better with Mrs. Heider's black walnuts. She was such a sweetie to remember me.

Old friend, Dywana Saunders-Confroy

July 27, 2010

Just this week I came across a card from Mrs. Heider that she sent to me when I was in her eighth grade earth science class. She was a wonderful person, an excellent teacher, who was filled with more patience and kindness than our class of thirteen year olds deserved! She will be missed by so many whose lives she touched.

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