Heather Walker

1971 - 2023

LITTLE RIVER, SOUTH CAROLINA — Heather Marie Walker, 52, of Little River, South Carolina, died on Aug. 4, 2023, at MUSC in Charleston, South Carolina, surrounded by her family.

In 2019, she began her brave fight against heart disease and was fortunate to receive a heart transplant. In July of this year, she began to experience rejection and ultimately could not recover. She fought hard throughout her entire transplant journey and up to the very end.

Heather was born in Kettering, on Jan. 19, 1971, to Louis C. Walker III (Lou) and Patricia Ann Walker (Patsy). Until she was seven years old, her family lived in Eaton, and then Indiana, before eventually settling in the Pinehurst, North Carolina area. Heather graduated from The O'Neal School in 1990 and then moved to the North Myrtle Beach area where she began her lifelong career in the hospitality industry. Heather also spent time in the North Carolina mountains, living in Boone, from 2001 until 2018, where she made many friends and most importantly was able to spend valuable years close to her sister, Holly.

In 2018, she returned to the North Myrtle Beach area and it was there she received the initial heart failure diagnosis. Thankfully, being in SC allowed her the good fortune of receiving medical care from MUSC in Charleston. In January of 2019, Heather was admitted into MUSC to await a heart transplant. On April 24, 2019, she received her donor heart and spent the next six months in Charleston recuperating. During this time, her mom, Patsy, was her primary caretaker and provided Heather with all the love and support needed for the challenging recovery. Heather's determination and hard work paid off. On Sept. 27, 2019, she had her bell ringing ceremony, signifying she could begin life again outside of MUSC. After MUSC, she chose to return to North Carolina, to be with her dad, Lou, while continuing to recover from her transplant. Due to her positive attitude and strong work ethic she was able to return to her life in South Carolina.

Heather was fiercely independent and was determined to live her life on her own terms. She loved kids and was a big kid herself. She loved football, toys, and video games. She worked hard and always gave 100 percent to everything she did. Heather was smart and funny and had the best laugh. She was strong, kind, loyal, and generous. Her love and care for others was so big that she wore out two hearts. Heather is now at peace and is with her mom. She will be missed by everyone lucky enough to have known her. Her family is grateful to her heart donor family and MUSC for allowing them the opportunity to have four bonus years of her love, laughter and smile.

Heather was preceded in death by her mother Patricia Ann Walker and bonus Mom, Martha Hardee Tattersall, paternal grandparents Louis C. Walker II and Mary Jo Walker, and maternal grandparents Robert and May Conniff. Heather is survived by her father, Louis C. Walker III of Whispering Pines, North Carolina; sister Holly Ann Walker (Anthony Wilson) of Bakersville, North Carolina; sister Tate Garrison (Joel Killion) of Raleigh, North Carolina; brother William H. Tattersall II (Josie) of Raleigh, North Carolina; uncles: James N. Conniff (Nancy) of Trenton, Robert C. Conniff Jr. of Montoursville, Pennsylvania, Augustine P. Conniff of Asheville, North Carolina, Kevin B. Conniff of Cassopolis, Michigan, Timothy J. Conniff (Amy) of Mooresville, North Carolina, and Ronald J. Hardee (Luellen) Morehead City, North Carolina; aunts: Suzy J. Robinette (Richard) of Pinehurst, North Carolina, May E. Poppick, Cambria, California, Nanci Conniff of California and Constance W. Sanders of Richmond, Indiana; Nnieces and nephews: Thatcher and Amelia Garrison, Walker, Hayes and Ainsley Tattersall, and "adopted" nephews Trey and Levi Andrews.

Heather is also survived by many cousins on the Walker, Conniff, and Hardee sides of her family.

A service will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Southern Pines, North Carolina. A reception will follow the service at The Country Club of Whispering Pines from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

The doctors, nurses, and the Heart Transplant team at MUSC became family to Heather. Her family cannot thank them enough for the kindness and care Heather received there over the last four years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in Heather's honor to the MUSC Foundation, 18 Bee Street, MSC 450, Charleston, SC 29425 (Heart Transplant Fund) https://giving.musc.edu/heart.

Palmetto Cremation Society Inc. of Charleston, South Carolina is assisting the family.