Heather Lynne Lockhart

Services will be held for Heather Lynne Lockhart at First Baptist Church, Tyler, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM with Senior Pastor Pike Wisner officiating. Family visitation will be held Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at Stewart Family Funeral Home from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM. Interment to follow at Rose Hill Cemetery led by Stewart Family Funeral Home.
Heather was born on June 26, 1975, in Atlanta, GA, to parents Joy and Dr. Asa Lockhart and went to Heaven on February 3, 2025, at the age of 49. She was a beloved daughter, sister, friend, and devoted member of her community, whose passion for service and life touched the hearts of all who knew her.
A proud graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in 1993, Heather spent her high school years in Tyler, Texas, where she was an active member of First Baptist Church and spent a lot of time at Lakewood Yacht Club (LYC) in Seabrook, Texas. She attended Space Camp, Space Academy, Pine Cove, Camp Tyler, and LYC Seahorse Camp, both as a camper and later as an instructor after graduating from high school.
Heather continued her education at Stephen F. Austin University before earning her master's degree from University of Colorado at Boulder. She coached basketball and then went on to teach special education in Colorado for several years. Her commitment to service also extended to her military career, where she served in the Navy Reserve, was deployed to Guam and Bahrain, earned a position as Master at Arms, and performed Honor Guard duties. The Department of the Navy posthumously awarded her the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for participating in 107 Military Funeral Honor Guard Details as well as training and mentoring. Heather was also a proud member of the American Legion, where she served as a historian.
In addition to her career in education and military service, she was a lifelong adventurer, enjoying sailing, snow skiing, snowboarding, playing soccer, and running; she even completed a half marathon after being told she would not run again due to a bad accident. She enjoyed traveling the world domestically, internationally, and militarily.
Heather's love for animals was evident in the many dogs and one cat she fostered throughout her life, particularly those with special needs or in hospice care. Her pets, including Panda, Sprite, Chevy, Maggie, Chandler, Max, Jack, and Scruffy, as well as her kitty Jazzy, brought her great joy.
Heather is preceded in death by her grandparents, Esther and Cody Kirby, Vada and Roy Lockhart; her Aunt Linda Shook and husband Winfred; and James "Uncle Jimbo" Lockhart.
She is survived by her loving parents, Joy and Dr. Asa Lockhart, sister Lesley Hurley and husband Shane, cherished nephew Cody Hurley, niece Madison Hurley, and grandmother Sue Hurley, Aunt Myrna Warlick, and cousins Richard Lockhart, Roy Lockhart, Wendy Fagan, and Lyndon Shook. She will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Military Veteran Peer Network at CampV Tyler (3212 West Front St. Tyler, TX 75702), Vintage Dog Rescue (106223 West 76th Drive, Arvada, CO, 80005), First Baptist Church of Tyler (301 W Ferguson St., Tyler, TX, 75702), or the charity of your choice.