Thomas Victor Heffelfinger

Obituary for Thomas Victor Heffelfinger

June 30, 1936 - July 15, 2025

With deep sorrow and immense love, we announce the passing of Thomas Victor Heffelfinger, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great- grandfather, and friend, who passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, at the age of 89.

Tom was born on June 30, 1936, in Waukegan, Illinois, to Robert Arthur Heffelfinger and Dorothy Anne Moore. He proudly served in the United States Air Force for six years and received an Honorable Discharge in November 1961.

In 1959, Tom married the love of his life, Louisa Ann Heffelfinger. Together they built a strong and enduring marriage that spanned 64 years-beginning in Denver, Colorado, and later settling in Norfolk, Massachusetts, where they lived for over five decades before moving to Sanford, North Carolina.

Tom is survived by his devoted wife Louisa; his children, Dirk Heffelfinger and his wife Lori of Granby, Massachusetts; Erik Heffelfinger of Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Cindy Carlson and her husband Kurt of Williamsburg, Virginia. He also leaves behind five beloved grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A true entrepreneur, Tom founded Heffelfinger Associates in 1964, an executive recruitment and placement firm based in Dedham, Massachusetts. Under his leadership, the firm gained a national reputation for excellence, securing top IT executives for world-class companies including Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM.

Tom was a man of many talents and passions. He was an enthusiastic golfer and tennis player, a gourmet cook who took joy in preparing meals for loved ones, and a dedicated collector of Asian art-much of which was prominently displayed in the home he and Louisa created together in Sanford.

He also had a lifelong love for landscaping and spent many happy hours with Louisa designing and tending to the beautiful gardens of their homes in Norfolk, Hilton Head, and Sanford.

Tom will be remembered for his sharp mind, generous heart, warm sense of humor, and the love and care he gave so freely to his family and friends. His legacy of kindness, integrity, and entrepreneurial spirit will live on in those who knew and loved him.

A private family service will be held in his honor.

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.