Heather Dawn Coxon

Heather Dawn Mansell Coxon passed away peacefully in Clear Spring, Maryland on March 23, 2024.  Heather was born March 31, 1938, in Hayes, Middlesex England to Frank and Lillian May (Gurney) Till and attended Ealing Technical College and the University of Maryland.  She was a Methodist.  Heather met Bruce Coxon, the love of her life, in 1952 and they married in June 1960.  Together they traveled to the U.S. where she worked as a secretary to the Headmaster at the Landon School for Boys in Bethesda, Maryland.  She later went back to university and earned her paralegal degree and worked for an attorney.  For many years she was an active member of the Seneca Valley Sugar loafers and completed many Volksmarch events and logged over 2,000 kilometers/1242 miles.  In June of 2020, she and Bruce celebrated their 60-year wedding anniversary and had enjoyed many cruises together as well as traveling back to England to visit family.

Heather shared her love of the outdoors and walking with her daughters.  She walked the entire C&O Canal over 3 years with Hilary.  She completed many rigorous hikes out west in Montana with Fiona.  She and Hilary also enjoyed Irish Ceili dancing and she was in her seventies by then.  A favorite spot of hers was Great Falls, Maryland where she loved to take relatives from England and Canada and other friends that visited.  Some of her favorite vacation spots were the Outer Banks, North Carolina, and Western Maryland.  At home Heather enjoyed classical music as well as Il Divo in later years and a favorite song of her and Bruce’s was Nella Fantasia; she loved gardening and cats as well.  She introduced her family to reading at an early age as well as volunteering, and in fact donated over 12 gallons of blood during her life.  She most enjoyed spending time with family, especially at the holidays.  She was an avid reader of mystery novels and enjoyed doing crosswords and knitting.  She passed favorite British recipes on to her daughters for Scotch Eggs, Yorkshire Pudding and Mince Pies and grew the most delicious tomatoes and raspberries.

Heather had two daughters, Fiona, and Hilary and one grandson, Tommy Walsh.  She loved taking care of Tommy as he grew and proudly took him on many group walks and to another favorite location, Brookside Gardens.  As he grew up, they shared a very special bond and enjoyed watching Jeopardy and Harry Potter movies together.  

Heather is survived by her daughters Fiona Coxon (Frank Miller) and Hilary Walsh (Richard Walsh), her grandson Tommy Walsh and two nephews and one niece and their children and grandchildren.  

Memorial plans will be finalized at a later date.  Until we meet again!

Donations may be made to either the Humane Society of the United States or the C & O Canal Trust Association.  

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C&O Canal Trust

Arrangements made by Rest Haven Cemetery & Funeral Home, Hagerstown, MD